
Class _G^i2^ 

Book^ ^j_L_i 

CopyiiglitN^ 

COEXRIGHT DEPOSm 



CORRECT AUCTION 



CORRECT AUCTION 

A CLEAR EXPOSITION OF THE GAME 

AS ACTUALLY PLAYED BY EXPERTS 

WITH NUMEROUS SUGGESTIONS 

FOR IMPROVEMENT 



BY 

E. V. SHEPARD 

Aullwr of 

"SCIENTIFIC AUCTION BRIDGE" 

"EXPERT AUCTION" 




HARPER y BROTHERS PUBLISHERS 

NEW YORK AND LONDON 



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2)CI.A60i663 



V 24 iS^O 



Correct Auctiok 
Copyright, 1920, by Harper & Brothers 



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CONTENTS 



AUCTION IN THREE DAYS 



^C~ Four chapters describe simply in few words how 

good players actually win over ordinary players. 



IT- 



A Bit of Advice i 

Players fitted for club games in three evenings. 

Correct Bidding 3 

Correct bidding learned in one evening — Three chief 
aims of Auction — Quick tricks defined — Table of quick 
tricks — Half-quick tricks — Established suits — Estab- 
lishable suits — Probable tricks — Counting card values — 
Tricks at no-trumps — Tricks at trumps — Average 
strength — Opening bids — First-round bids — Informa- 
tory bids — Table of hands worth bids — Business bids — 
Normal trump strength — Changing partner's bid — 
Defensive bids — No-trump take-outs — Bidding for a 
lead against no trumps — Second-round bids — Support- 
ing partner's bids — Informatory doubles and redoubles. 

Standard Leads 23 

Correct leads learned in one evening — Opening leads — 
No-trump leads — Trump leads — Suit to open— Card to 
lead — Suits not to open — Leading when partner has bid 
a suit — Leading when partner has bid no trumps. 

Conventions and Customs 31 

Conventions and customs learned in one evening — Rule 
of eleven — The echo — The plain-suit echo — Unblocking 
— Third-round call — Call for a suit — The discard — How 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

to cut the cards properly — Names of the players — Ar- 
ranging and spreading dummy — Keeping tricks — Keep- 
ing rubbers — Side bets — Paying losses. 

ADVANCED AUCTION 

Details of the latest Auction developments. Advanced 
features for experts and fine points of the game. 

Valuing Hands 44 

Quick tricks, late tricks; sure tricks at no trumps — 
Trump tricks: in your own suit, in partner's suit, against 
an opposing bid — Probable tricks: as declarer, as 
dummy, against an opposing make. 

The Average Hand 50 

The 5 most common suit divisions — ^An average hand 
can win 5 tricks at its best declaration — ^Average assist- 
ance for partner — ^Average resistance against opponents 
— Average tricks won by trumps. 

Primary Bids 53 

Free and forced bids — Requirements to open the bid- 
ding, for dealer or second hand, for third hand, for 
fourth hand — Bidding two-suiters — Changing partner's 
call — Defensive bids — No-trump take-outs — Take-outs 
to score — Informatory bids — Rebids — Compensated 
bids — Table of compensated bids — Choosing between 
trumps and no-trumps — Pre-emptive bids — Using pre- 
emptive bids to collect penalties — Requirements to make 
pre-emptive bids. 

Illustrations of Primary Bids 62 

Secondary Bids 69 

Shifts of call — Rebidding requirements — Requirements 
for free secondary bids, for forced secondary bids — 
Freak hands — ^Tertiary bids. 

Illustrations of Secondary Bids . 72 



CONTENTS 

PAGB 

Average Assistance 74 

Probable number of trumps in dummy — Average tricks 
lost per hand — Value to declarer of dummy's holdings 
on rebid hands — An average dummy. 

Variable Honor Values 79 

Quick trick values of honor combinations. 

Half-tricks 81 

Special ^-trick values — One-half quick tricks — In- 
fluence of suit length at trumps — Probable tricks — 
Added value of >^-quick tricks as support for 
partner. 

Rational Use of Rules 84 

In bidding no trumps — In choosing between trumps and 
no-trumps — In raising partner's bids — Scientific and 
empirical rules. 

Supporting Bids 88 

Better than average support required to raise partner — 
Raising no-trump Dids requires stops to adverse suits — 
Single-stop, double-stop, no-stop requirements — Choice 
between doubUng opponents* bid and advancing part- 
ner's no trumps — Jumping partner's uncontested no- 
trump bid — Raising partner's primary bids — Raising 
secondary bids — Raising partner's rebids — Jumping 
partner's uncontested trump bids — ^Unwise to jump 
partner's contested bids — ^Assisting partner over oppo- 
nents* jumped bids — ^Assisting two-suiters — Shifting 
partner to his original bid — Rebids of two-suiters — 
Assisting rebid two-suiters — Strength required to raise 
partner at once, after a rebid, etc. — ^Value of trump 
length — Value of honors in partner's suit — Side tricks 
required to raise partner — When no side strength is re- 
quired — Compensated raises — Compensated raises of 
rebid hands. 

Illustrations of Supporting Bids 95 



• CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Informatory Doubles 99 

Distinction between informatory and business doubles. — 
Bid or else defeat the doubled contract — The responsive 
choice between no trumps and trumps — Bidding 2-N0- 
trumps over i -No-trump — Bidding your second best suit 
— The choice between major and minor suits — Regula- 
tion, two-suited, camouflage, and masked doubles — The 
meaning of partner's informatory double which follows 
his original bid of a suit — Strength shown by a respon- 
sive bid made over an intervening bid — Informatory 
doubles of two different bids — Informatory doubles 
rank as third-hand no-trimipers — Requirements to 
double trump and no-trump bids — Raising partner's 
responsive bid — Requirements to double high bids. 

Informatory Redoubles 107 

Informatory doubles and redoubles alike in nature — ^The 
precise information conveyed by the informatory re- 
double of a suit bid, of no-trumps — Choosing between 
the informatory redouble and jumping partner's bid — 
Shifting partner's doubled bid— The business pass — The 
informatory pass. 

Illustrations of Informatory Doubles and Redoubles 112 

Stick to Your Rules 115 

It is time for players to observe bidding rules as care- 
fully as the Laws of Auction — Minimum quick tricks 
disclosed by sound bids. 

Business Doubles and Redoubles . . . . . . . .118 

When to double or to redouble — ^When to take partner 
out of a doubled contract — Free and cinch doubles — ^Ad- 
vantages of not doubling — Choosing between penalties 
and game at different scores — The relative values of 
game, rubber, and penalties — Deliberately overbidding 
to save game or rubber — Business redoubles are seldom 
sound — The fake redouble. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

No-TRUMP Leads 124 

Departures from standard leads in special cases — 
Sequence leads sometimes better than fourth-best leads 
— Choosing between opening your suit or partner's — 
How to make continuous leads from a high sequence — 
Lead from the top and follow from the bottom of a 
sequence — Showing the length of a suit — Honor versus 
fourth-best leads — The effect of re-entry upon your 
leads — The second lead — Abandoning your suit for 
partner's. 

Trump Leads 132 

When to avoid singleton leads — When to force the 
declarer — Trump attack — Leading trumps to prevent a 
cross-rufiE — Note whether partner encourages further 
leads from a suit — Leads through dummy's strength — 
Avoid leads through too great strength — Opening new 
suits and skimming off tops — Leads up to dummy's 
weakness — ^What to lead when in doubt — Believe your 
partner rather than the declarer — Meaning of deliberate 
leads up to dummy's strength — How to detect singleton • 
leads in some cases — ^When it is useless to treasure a 
tenace. 

Second-hand Play 137 

General rules — Try to discover what declarer's object is 
— Eldest-hand play — When to cover an honor — Pone's 
play. 

Third-hand Play 146 

Eldest-hand play is simple — Pone's play — Never finesse 
against your partner — Play your highest card unless 
required to hold it over dummy — Reading yoiu* part- 
ner's holding from his lead — Obligatory finesses due to 
cards in dummy — If there is only one way to win all 
tricks of a suit, play for cards to lie a certain way — 
Saving re-entry for partner by reducing the number of 
blocks to his suit — Use your highest trump if deliberately 
forced to ruff a suit wherein the declarer is void — Over- 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

playing partner's honors — Underplaying useless honors 
— Holding back honors when necessary — Fourth-hand 
play. 

Declarer's Play . 156 

Determine upon your type of game and what your aims 
must be — Generally best to lead trumps at once — Induc- 
ing opponents to lead trumps — Exhausting trumps be- 
fore or after leading an established side suit — Forcing 
opponents — May have to throw the lead to secure leads 
up to your hand — At no-trumps lose necessary tricks 
before you lose your guards to other suits — Establishing 
a suit before leading an established suit, or the reverse — 
The advantages of seeing your twenty-six cards — Count- 
ing up your long trumps — Make a discard of a losing 
card rather than overtrump where doing so will put the 
best trump against you — Avoid blocks — Holding back 
winning cards of adverse suits — Removing stops to your 
suits — Providing re-entry in both hands — Reserving 
trump re-entry to dummy — Selecting your best suit at 
no-trumps — General rules for play between the two 
hands — Finessing — Risk going down slightly in an 
attempt to go game — Cards to lead and to play from 
given combinations in the two hands — Observe every- 
thing which opponents play or do — Let opponents 
open suits wherein you hold single honors — End plays — 
Lead from the hand having two out of three honors to 
preserve the balance of the hands — False carding — 
The "Grand coup"— The "Bath coup." 

Card Probabilities 178 

Laws gf Auction 191 



CORRECT AUCTION 



CORRECT AUCTION 



A BIT OF ADVICE 

You can wonderfully improve your game in three 
evenings. Unless you are already an expert Auction 
player you can advance in that time to a higher class 
by heeding a littlQ advice. 

Devote a single evening to the chapter "Correct 
Bidding ' ' ; give a second evening to * * Standard Leads ' ' ; 
spend your third evening on ''Conventions and Cus- 
toms"; just three evenings in all. This is enough 
book study to correctly start off any earnest student 
who knows the bare outline of the "Laws" and how 
to score. 

You must correctly value your cards to play good 
Auction and you must know how to bid a hand to 
best disclose those values to your partner. You must 
be familiar with opening leads. You need to under- 
stand the regular conventions and customs of the 
game. An evening on each of these subjects is all the 
studying you need do until you feel inclined to post 
yourself on more advanced tactics. 

Refer to your text-book every time you question the 
I 



CORRECT AUCTION 

soundness of any bid, lead, or play. You need practice 
with better players to advance rapidly. 

Promising players are always welcomed by progres- 
sive clubs where Auction is made a feature. An appli- 
cant for membership or a guest of a card club should 
at least familiarize himself with the next three chapters 
of this book. 



CORRECT BIDDING 

You can learn to bid correctly to-night. To-morrow 
you can sit in any ordinary game and note with sur- 
prise your added confidence and your increased 
efficiency. 

The three chief aims of Auction are either to 
win game, to save game, or to penalize opponents. 
Correct partnership bidding shows which your aim 
must be. 

Anything which is not perfectly clear to you in this 
chapter can be found more in detail in later chapters. 
Your first aim must be to catch the real spirit of the 
game and its essentials. 

QUICK TRICKS 

Aces and high honor combinations are called ** quick 
tricks.'* They are so named because they will usually 
win tricks against an adverse tnrnip declaration before 
either opponent can trump them. 

You must not count more quick tricks than given in 
the following table, nor count them in suits of more than 
3 cards where you find this warning, " (only)." If any 
player attempts to argue against these facts let him 
turn to the chapter, "Variable Honor Values." 

3 



CORRECT AUCTION 

TABLE OF QUICK TRICKS 



A Quick 
Tricks 



I Quick 
Trick 



K Quick 
Tricks 



2 Quick 
Tricks 



2>2 Quick 
Tricks 



K guarded 
Q-J-io (only) 



A 
K-Q 



A-Q 

K-Q-J (only) 



A— K 
A-Q-J (only) 



A-K-Q(only) 



HALF QUICK TRICKS 

A "J^ quick trick" is derived from a high honor so 
guarded as to yield you a trick about half the time. 
Two such count as i quick trick. 

The guarded K and A-Q suits have the ^-quick- 
trick value only if they are unbid. You count a full 
quick trick if the suit is bid at your right, but you dis- 
regard any j^-quick-trick value if the suit is bid at 
your left. 

ESTABLISHED SUITS 

An established suit is one having enough solid tops 
to win probably as many tricks (unless trumped) as 
the suit has cards. A 4-card suit requires A-K-Q-J 
to do this; 5-card and 6-card suits must have A-K-Q; 
7, 8, and 9 cards need the A-K, but a lo-card suit re- 
quires only the A. After you have exhausted all 
other players your remaining cards of that suit are 
called **long cards." A 5-card trump suit headed by 
the J (or both 10-9) will more often than not give you 

2 tricks. Any 6-card trump suit will ordinarily yield 

3 long cards, or 3 tricks. A topless 7-card trump suit 
may yield 5 tricks. It should not yield less than 

4 tricks. 

4 



CORRECT AUCTION 

In calculating long cards dummy's help is recognized, 
since one third of the time the highest missing card 
or the greatest outside length of stiit will be in dummy, 

ESTABLISHABLE SUITS 

A suit lacking one or more of its necessary top honors 
IS called "unestablished." If you have as many re- 
entry cards as the suit lacks top honors the suit is 
termed an " establishable suit." Your trump suit 
furnishes its own re-entry by ruffing other suits. At 
no trumps and against opposing trump declaration 
you need quick tricks in side suits as re-entry cards. 
The opening lead is worth i re-entry card to you. 
Sure re-entry in a single side suit will ordinarily 
establish your strong suit before discards wreck it, 
but you should have re-entry in 2 side suits if it re- 
quires more than a rettim lead from partner to es- 
tablish it. An added re-entry is needed to enable 
you to "enter" and to lead the suit after establishing it. 

PROBABLE TRICKS 

Cards which have better than even chances to win 
tricks at a particular declaration are called "probable 
tricks." Quick tricks are always probable tricks 
either for or against any declaration. Your yi quick 
tricks become probable tricks at no trumps (except 
where its bidder sits "over you" at yoiu* left). They 
become probable tricks on yoiir own strong trump 
2 5 



CORRECT AUCTION 

declaration or in support ot your partner's call. The 
lessened liability that such cards will be trumped makes 
them worth more than half a trick. 

COUNTING VALUES 

First count your quick tricks, then your sure no- 
trump tricks, then your probable tricks at the varying 
bids made. Note any established or establishable suit 
and count its probable tricks. Quick tricks, and cards 
like Q-J-X, Q-io-9, Q-X-X-X, or J-io-X-X, are 
usually stops to the run of their suits. 

Ruffs and more than 3-card-suit lengths cannot 
reduce the value of good cards at no trumps as they do 
against a declared suit. With sufficient re-entry 
any player at no trumps can count i sure trick for 
Q-J-io-X, 2 sure tricks for K-Q-J-X, 3 sure tricks 
for A-K-Q-X or K-Q-J-io. Such suits need 5 cards 
to count them as having long cards. You can always 
count 3 sure tricks for A-K-J-io or the A-Q-J-io; 
always count 2 sure tricks for either the A-Q-J-X 
or the A-J-10-9. 

Your no-trimiper must have at least i probable trick 
in not less than 3 suits. Count a trick for each card of 
an established suit. To count safely the full value of 
an establishable suit requires a stop to each remaining 
suit, or enough sm-e tricks in each of 2 side suits to 
establish it. 

On partner's no-trumper count each card of an 
established suit as a trick. Count each card of an 

6 



CORRECT AUCTION 

established suit (minus the necessary loss to establish 
it) as a trick if you hold at least i side stire trick for 
each time it must be led to establish it. Otherwise your 
partner may prefer to play for a suit in his own hand. 

As leader against a no-trtmiper count a trick for each 
card of an established suit. Count a trick for each card 
of an establishable suit (minus the necessary loss to 
establish it) if you have sufficient re-entry in each of 
2 side suits to establish it. Entry in only i side suit 
may permit the declarer to go game before your 
re-entry suit is led. 

As third player against no trumps there are small 
chances that your partner will lead your best imbid 
suit. You cannot ordinarily count anything beyond 
your sure tricks, but having a stop in 2 suits and a 
third requiring only a single lead to clear it, you are 
warranted in cotmting its probable tricks. Count full 
value for an established suit if you have a sure side 
trick. Deduct i trick for a high informatory discard 
from an established suit without a sure side trick. 

TRICKS AT TRUMPS 

On your own trump declaration count i trick for 
each card of an established tnmip suit. If your trump 
suit is tmestablished you must deduct i trick for each 
missing high honor. If your partner has it he will 
count it as i trick. If it lies guarded at your left 
it will lose you a trick. So that the A-Q-J of yotir 
trumps, for example, cotmt as 2 tricks. 

7 



CORRECT AUCTION 

You are not restncted as declarer to quick-side- 
trick values if you are very strong in top trumps, so 
that "cross ruffing" (one opponent ruffing one suit, 
and the other ruffing a second suit) is very improbable. 
If very strong you value your side suits as you would 
at no trumps. If you are only moderately strong in 
top trumps or in length of trumps, or if your partner 
does not bid, you can safely count only quick-trick 
values in side suits. 

On partner's trump call, count your tnmip tricks: 
I trick for each high honor; with 3 or more trumps 
count 2 tricks for a void suit, i trick for a side single- 
ton, and I trick if you have 2 side doubletons; with 2 
trumps count only i trick for ruffing a void suit and 
disregard all other apparent chances to ruff; with a 
singleton trump you must disregard all ruff values. 

As assistance to partner's trump call you count 
probable tricks (other than trump and quick tricks) 
as follows: 3 tricks for an established side suit if you 
hold only normal trump strength. Count an es- 
tablished or establishable side suit as at no trumps 
if you are very strong in trumps or if you hold normal 
trump strength with ample re-entry in one or two other 
suits. Less than normal tnmip strength reduces side 
strength to quick-trick values. 

Opponents can count a trick for the A, the K-Q, or 
the Q-J-io of trumps, on either side of the declarer. 
The A-J-X, K-Q-X, or K-J~io are worth 2 tricks 
at declarer's left, but count for only i trick at his right. 
The K-J-io-X or the Q-J-io-X are probably worth 

8 



CORRECT AUCTION 

2 tricks, even at declarer's right, while the former is 
worth 3 tricks at his left. The K~X or Q-X-X count 
as a trick at declarer's left only. Four trumps to an 
honor, or any 5 trtmips except the lowest possible, are 
probably worth a trick even at declarer's right. 

An opponent requires at least 4 small trumps or 3 
trtimps, including i trump trick, also re-entry, to count 
more than 2 tricks for an established side suit. 

AVERAGE STRENGTH 

Hands average to win 5 tricks at their best declaration 
and to contain i>^ quick tricks. They also average 
to win 2^ tricks in support of partner's declarations 
and offer less than 2-tricks resistance to opposing calls. 

You asstmie that partner holds average strength. 
Except under special recognizable conditions his bid 
announces that in at least some respects he has greater 
than average strength. 

Misleading bids cause greater losses than any other 
feature of the game. Perfect partnership bidding is 
the game's greatest winner. Each bid must be sound 
and definite in meaning. 

OPENING BIDS 

You can open the bidding as dealer, or as second 
hand if the dealer passes, on 2 quick tricks and a 
minimum ability to win 4 tricks total. At trumps you 
must be able to win at least 3 trump tricks and at least 

9 



CORRECT AUCTION 

one of your quick tricks must be in the trump suit. At 
no trumps your strength must be so distributed as to 
give you a probable stop in at least 3 suits. 

A third-hand opening bid requires either 3 quick tricks 
or rebidding strength (6 tricks total). A fourth-hand 
opening bid requires either ability to twice rebid 
(at least 7 tricks total) or ability to save game against 
any opposing call. Games and even rubbers are fre- 
quently lost by risking weaker bids than specified, 
just because you require only a few points to go game 
or to win a rubber. Secondary bids by opponents 
may go game or cause you serious loss. The chances 
are 2 to i that missing strength lies adversely. 

PRIMARY BIDS 

First-round bids are called ''primary bids.*' The 
opening bid or a later unnecessarily high bid is a "free 
bid." Other bids are usually "forced bids." Free 
bids show 2 quick tricks, but forced bids show only 
i>2 quick tricks, although the latter show ability to 
win at least 3 trump tricks. At least a Yi quick trick 
in trtunps is ordinarily necessary, but 6 topless trumps 
and 2 quick side tricks, or 7 topless trumps with i>^ 
quick side tricks, are proper for forced bids but not 
for free bids. (See chapter "Primary Bids" for ad- 
vanced "compensated bids.") 

Two-suiters require the regulation 2 quick tricks 
for free bids, and i>^ quick tricks for forced bids. 
These quick tricks may all be in the suit first bid, 

10 



CORRECT AUCTION 

divided between the two suits, or even be par- 
tially in a third suit. You must ordinarily bid both 
suits if you bid one of them. Unless utilized to show a 
two-suiter over partner's no trumps, both suits must 
contain the probability of 3 trump tricks to justify 
a bid. 

With nearly equal tops in both suits bid the higher 
suit first. Do so if both are either "major suits'* 
(spades and hearts) or *' minor suits" (diamonds and 
clubs), provided the higher one is capable of winning 
3 trump tricks. Five cards unless headed by at least 
the Q is not usually worth a bid. Bid a minor suit first 
and a major suit second, if the former has much 
better tops.' 

INFORMATORY BIDS 

Primary bids made only to show quick tricks and to 
guide partner's opening lead are "informatory bids," 
on suits like: 



A-K-X-X-X with o quick trick outside 



A-Q-X-X-X 


" K 






-■ A-Q-J-X-X 


■; y. 






K-Q-X-X-X 








• K-Q-J-X-X 








A-K-Q-J 








A-Q-J-io 


• A 






A-K-J-io 


' ^ 






K-Q-J-io ' 








A-J-io-X-X 






i( it 


A-K-Q 


II 




11 It 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Informatory bids show 2 quick tricks, at least 3 
trump tricks, and a total of 4 or 5 tricks. No 4-trick 
hand can be rebid. A s-trick hand like A-K-Q-X-X, 
or K-Q-J-X-X with a side trick, can only be rebid if 
partner assists. The rebid is to show that the bid is 
not entirely informatory and restricted to 4 tricks total. 

BUSINESS BIDS 

A "business bid" is announced when you make an 
unnecessarily high bid or rebid your hand to show 
genuine strength. 

You can make pre-emptive opening bids or unas- 
sisted rebids on the following strength, up to the limit 
given: 

Bid 2 on 6 tricks and added possibilities 

(I ^ H ^ ti il li ii 

* * 4 * * 8 sure, and probably 9, tricks 
** S ** II practically sure tricks 

Bids of 2 must never be used to show lack of 
quick tricks in a suit. Such major bids are made to 
show great lack of strength in the other major suit. 
Opening minor bids of 2 or 3 are out of place, but 
higher minor bids can be made to show powerful 
hands lacking more than average help for other calls. 
Even major pre-emptive bids are out of place if you 
can well assist or resist other calls. 

Bids of 2-No Trumps show at least 6 probable tricks, 
all suits stopped against leads from the left, and such 
help for both spades and hearts that partner can make 

12 



CORRECT AUCTION 

a major take-out on the same strength as if you had 
bid One. 

NORMAL TRUMP STRENGTH 

Normal trump strength to properly support partner's 
bid is: 

3 small trumps (or 2 including a high honor) for his i-bid 
2 '' " (or I high honor) *' '' 2-bid 

I " '' " **3-bid 

o trumps t( n ^.^i^j 

(For more advanced bidding see chapter "Supporting 
Bids.") 

CHANGING PARTNER'S CALL 

Even with normal assistance for partner's trump call 
you can try to improve the declaration. Change his 
minor call to a major declaration on even minimum 
strength and shift his major call of hearts to spades 
upon better than ordinary cards or change his spades 
to hearts upon a rebid hand. But do not change his 
heart or spade bid to no tnmips if you hold average 
assistance. If you require partner's aid to go game on 
your changed call you must assist him if he will not 
raise your changed bid. 

Unless very strong in the remaining suits do not bid 
no trumps without one or two cards of partner's suit, 
as he may have no re-entry outside. If he recall 
his suit you must abandon no trumps unless you hold 
a double stop in each other suit, or a quick trick in two 

13 



CORRECT AUCTION 

suits and a long established minor suit. Never bid no 
trumps over opponent's suit tmless you have it stooped. 

DEFENSIVE BIDS 

A ** defensive bid" is one expected to lose less than 
will probably result from your partner's bid. It is 
made only to take-out partner's call for which you 
lack normal trump assistance and probable tricks. 
You need at least 3 trump tricks to make a i-bid over 
his and not less than 4 trump tricks to bid 2 over 
his I -bid. Defensive bids usually save from 50 to 
100 points and sometimes even fulfill a contract. They 
are out of place if partner bids unnecessarily high and 
you must abandon them if your partner rebids. (See 
chapter "Primary Bids.") 

NO-TRUMP TAKE-OUTS 

Take partner out of no trumps on any 6-card major 
suit, or on any 5-card major suit worth an opening bid, 
also on any 5-card major suit worth a forced bid, 
provided you have also a void or a singleton suit. 
Show both suits of a two-suiter, provided they are 
worth either a forced or a defensive bid. 

Take out on 6 or more cards of a minor suit lacking 
re-entry to establish it. Regardless of great strength 
take out to the score when you can go game on your 
trump call. To bid a suit after an opponent has over- 
called partner's no trumps always shows strength. 

14 



CORRECT AUCTION 

It must never be done on a topless suit unless it is so 
long that you intend to rebid it if partner rettuns to 
no trumps. 

Pass opponent's no trumps if partner has passed 
and you have the lead, unless you can go game with 
average assistance, or imless you can make a very 
strong informatory double, or unless you bid to save 
the rubber. Penalties at 50 points pay better than 
anything short of game. If partner has previously 
bid you must assist him if you can properly do so. 
Do not be satisfied to save game or to win a small 
penalty, if there is a chance for partner to go game. 

Bid for a lead against no trtunps provided you can 
set your suit if partner will lead it twice, or on game 
possibilities, or because you hold cards worth a rebid 
but unsuited to save game. By not bidding you let 
partner select the opening lead when you hold strength 
in 3 suits, or if you have an established minor suit 
which cannot give you game, with probable entry in 
one or more side suits. 

SECONDARY BIDS 

A ** secondary bid" is one started on the second 
round. It shows at least i quick trick. Primary bids 
and ** shifts" (changes of call on the second rotmd) 
show tops, but ordinary secondary bids show length 
of suit. Rebids of the latter show the same total 
trick-taking ability as pre-emptive bids or rebids of 
primary calls. 

15 



CORRECT AUCTION 

If your partner bids over your primary pass and if 
the next player leaves your partner in, you may be 
forced to make a secondary defensive take-out on the 
sam.e basis as you would have done on the first round 
of bidding. 

SUPPORTING BIDS 

Unless you have reason for changing his call you must 
show better than average help for partner's bid by 
raising it over an opposing bid. Ability to defeat an 
opposing bid is no excuse for failure to assist partner 
at least once upon proper strength, except where your 
double of the opposing bid will yield more than partner 
could make total on game and honors. 

Raise partner on normal tnmip support if you have 
either 2 quick tricks, or i quick side trick and 2 probable 
tricks. Continue raising his bid i trick for each addi- 
tional y2 quick trick or other probable trick held. 
(See chapter "Supporting Bids.") 

If you have made a bid, you raise that of your partner 
I trick for each >^ quick trick or each probable trick 
which you hold above the quick tricks shown by your 
own bid. 

If an intervening player passes, shift partner to his 
original bid of a two-suiter, either on greater length 
or on higher cards of that suit. This is merely express- 
ing your preference and does not show actual support- 
ing strength. If the intervening player bids you must 
pass, unless you hold cards warranting a raise of one of 
partner's bids. When your partner shows a two- 

16 



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suiter you can raise either of his suits as if he had 
rebid it. Showing a two-suiter, then rebidding one of 
these suits, is equivalent to twice rebidding the one 
which you prefer. 

Either you or your partner requires a sure stop to a 
suit bid against his no trumps. He shows this stop by 
bidding no trumps over an opposing suit call. You 
can then raise partner's no trumps upon 2 quick tricks 
or upon 3 probable tricks. Each added yi quick trick 
or probable trick gives you an additional raise of 
I trick. 

Unless partner has shown a stop to an adverse suit 
you require a stop and 3 other probable tricks to assist 
his no trumps, or 2 stops and another probable trick. 
You can double the opposing bid on several stops and 
a side trick or two, to let partner decide whether he will 
collect penalties or rebid. 

You **jump" a bid when you raise partner's un- 
contested bid or when you raise any contested bid 
unnecessarily high. 

You can jump partner's suit bid, without an inter- 
vening bid, to show only i quick side trick, with at 
least 3 additional tricks due to trump strength and 
ability to ruff. Jump his bid as high as your cards 
warrant, assuming that his hand may be good for only 
4 tricks. Do not jump his bid over an intervening 
bid and never jump it on cards well able to assist other 
calls. 

Jump partner's uncontested no-trump bid only when 
you hold honors in all 4 suits. 

17 



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If opponents jump their bid over your partner's 
call you need normal trump support, at least i side 
trick and a minimimi total of 3 probable tricks to even 
consider helping him. If you can prevent opponents 
from going game you must pass on anything less than 
the necessary strength to raise properly partner's bid 
to the required height. If you fear that opponents 
may go game you can risk an overbid not to exceed 
2 tricks to save game, or '3 tricks to save the rubber 
(assiuning that your partner can win 4 tricks on his 
bid). 

INFORMATORY DOUBLES AND REDOUBLES 

You make an "informatory double" of a suit bid or 
of no trumps provided you double at the first oppor- 
tunity, and provided your partner has not yet bid. 

You must ordinarily have no-trump strength to make 
an informatory double. It requires 2^ quick tricks 
for an informatory trump double and 3 quick tricks 
for an informatory no-trump double. Either requires 
a total of 4 probable tricks help for the most un- 
favorable responsive bid by your partner, or else a 
sound bid to which you can resort. Each trick higher 
than I which you double requires that you hold an 
additional J^ quick trick. Only a dangerous score 
warrants weaker doubles than specified. 

You can double a trump bid on a minimum of 
A-X-X-X, K-X-X-X, A-X-X-X, X. But that is 
too weak to double i-No Trump. Replace the K 

18 



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by an A or K-Q, or make one of the other suits A-Q, 
and you can double i-No Trump. 

The double is frequently used as a game saver — 
doubling on less strength with the deliberate intention 
of suffering a penalty rather than have opponents go 
game. The double forces a bid from your partner, 
and if you are outbid you know your best line of 
defense. 

Your informatory double ordinarily shows 3 power- 
ful suits and i weak suit, so that you can either bid 
no trumps or shift to another suit call if your partner 
happens to bid your weakest suit. If your partner 
bids no trumps on stops to the suit which has been 
bid, you must be able to support adequately his no 
trumps or else you must have a sound suit bid to 
which you can resort. 

An ** informatory double** is a peremptory demand 
that your partner make his best bid (regardless of how 
weak his hand may be or how high he must bid), im- 
less he can defeat the opposing contract and can also 
defeat it for greater gain than can result from any 
bid which he can make. Regardless of what he ex- 
pects to lose by bidding he must either bid or defeat 
the opposing call. He makes a "business pass" when 
he can defeat the doubled contract. You assimie all 
responsibility for the results from thus forcing yoiu* 
partner to bid. 

A bid by an opponent over your partner's double 
cancels your obligation to bid. If you do so you 
make a free bid and assume the responsibility, by stat- 

19 



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ing that you would have bid had your partner not 
doubled. If you pass, your partner will again double 
if he still desires you to bid. It requires genuine 
strength to persist in your responsive bid or to alter 
the doubler's bid if he changes yotir call. 

Your responsive forced bid becomes a free bid if ^ 
you rebid or bid unnecessarily high to show genuine 
bidding strength. The latter shows a decided prefer- 
ence for the call you name. 

Bid a 4-card suit in preference to no tnmips, without 
2 stops to the suit doubled by your partner. Prefer 
to bid a 3 -card suit with an honor, to bidding no 
trumps on a single stop to an adverse suit and nothing 
else. 

An informatory double of no trumps nearly always 
requires your best suit bid rather than a 2-N0 Tnmip 
bid, or your second best in case an opponent has 
already bid your best suit. 

If your partner bids and then doubles a later bid 
instead of rebidding his suit, he asks you to support 
his original bid on normal trump strength, rather 
than to shift the bid upon anything short of genuine 
bidding strength. 

Assist yoiu" partner's forced responsive bid on 
strength iii excess of actual reqiiirements for yoiu* 
informatory double. 

Your partner considers 4 tricks at your call full 
response to his informatory double. You can rebid 
if you can win more. If you rebid he can raise you 
as if he had not doubled. 

20 



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If you have not previously bid you can make an 
"informatory redouble" of an informatory double of 
your partner's bid. This redouble of a suit bid shows 
only I or 2 cards of that suit, but an aggregate of at 
least 2 quick tricks distributed among the 3 remaining 
suits. You must not redouble if you are void of 
partner's suit, because you cannot lead it in case 
opponents bid no trumps. 

You can jimip partner's bid over an informatory 
double if you hold 3 or more tnrnips, at least i side 
quick trick, and 2 other probable tricks. With 3 
trumps and strength in all the remaining suits you can 
pass, to see what opponents will do. 

You shift partner's bid upon decided strength in 
another direction and inability to support his bid, 
just as if no double had been made. Never make a 
defensive take-out over an informatory double, because 
the doubler's partner is obligated to make a bid. 

BUSINESS DOUBLES AND REDOUBLES 

You make a "business double" if yoiu: partner has 
already bid or if you double a call after having previ- 
ously bid over it. Your business double definitely 
states that you can defeat the opposing contract. 

You make a "free double" when the opposing 
bid can go game as surely as the doubled bid. It is a 
** cinch double" when opponents can neither make their 
contract nor shift to a safe bid. There is permissible 
only a cinch double of a bid which cannot go game 
3 21 



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unless at doubled value. Some latitude is legitimate 
in a free double, but it is foolish to double any bid 
which you can defeat if there is open a possible shift 
to a safer call. 

To double opponents instead of helping partner at 
least once is an emphatic denial of assistance for his 
call. 

You must bid over your partner's business double 
if you have deceived him by your bids. You con- 
tinue your call over his double if you can make more 
by game or rubber than through probable penalties. 

On anything except the rubber game you need 
300 points in penalties to exceed the value to you of 
game plus your honors. Do not take anything less 
than 500 points in exchange for a sure rubber plus 
your honors. Take even 100 points in penalties rather 
than overbid where neither side can go game. 

A "business redouble" states that you can win over 
a business double. If you can win you must not 
advertise the fact, unless you can double opponents 
for an extremely heavy penalty if they either con- 
tinue their former call or shift to a new one. A business 
redouble is nearly always a grave error. 



STANDARD LEADS 

Devote your second evening to learning the standard 
leads. The opening lead frequently settles whether 
you penalize the declarer, save game, or lose game. 

You open with a "directed lead" if your partner has 
bid. Otherwise you open with a "blind lead" which 
may require a different opening- Unguided leads 
against no trumps differ widely from those against a 
tnmip declaration. 

Against no trumps you strive to establish your 
longest and strongest suit. Against a declared tnmip 
you endeavor to make your quick tricks before your 
good cards can be ruffed; you also try to utilize your 
weak trimips by ruffing before the declarer can enter 
and lead trumps. 

Blind leads must be made as shown in the two follow- 
ing tables: 

NO-TRUMP LEADS 

Lead Holding at Least 

Ace A and any other honor, except K; 7 of suit, with re-entry. 



Kin- 



A-K-Q, with or without re-entry. 

A-K-J-X, with re-entry, or 7 of suit without re-entry. 

A-K-io-X, with re-entry, or 7 of suit without re-entry. 

A-K, 7 or more of suit, with or without re-entry. 

K-Q-J-X, with or without re-entry. 

K-Q-io-X, with or without re-entry. 

K-Q, 7 or more of suit, with or without re-entry. 



Queen 



A-Q-J-X, with or without re-entry. 
Q-J-io-X, with or without re-entry. 
Q-J-9-X, with or without re-entry (optional, see "4th best"). 

23 



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Jack 



A-K-J, less than 7 of suit, without re-entry. 
A-J-io-X, with or without re-entry. 
K-J-io-X, with or without re-entry. 
J-10-9-X, with or without re-entry. 



A-K-io, less than 7 of suit, without re-entry. 
A-Q-io, 7 or more of suit, without re-entry. 
10-9-8-X, with or without re-entry. 
See Note. 



4th 
best 



Suits headed by a single honor, with or without re-entry. 
A-K, K-Q, less than 7 of suit, with or without re-entry. 
A-Q, A-J, A-io, less than 7 with, or any number of suit without re- 
entry. 
A-O-io, less than 7 of suit, with or without re-entry. 
K-J, K-io, Q-io, any number, with or without re-entry. 
O-J-9-X, with or without re-entry (optional, see "Queen"). 
Long suits without an honor, with or without re-entry. 
See Note. 



Note. — The 10, 9, or 8 is sometimes led instead of the fourth-best card as 
top of an intermediate sequence, as, for example, the 10 from A-10-9-8-X, 
or the 9 from K-O-9-8-7. This is following out the principle of leading the J 
from A-J-io-X, or K-J-io-X. These leads possess some advantages, but 
they are not generally as well understood as the more standard leads. 

Between two suits of nearly equal value reserve the one having the surer 
re-entry and open the other suit. 

Of two equal suits open a major suit in preference to a minor suit. Great 
strength in the former is more apt to be shown by an opposing trump bid 
than is the case with the latter suit, where great strength may be concealed 
under the no-trump bid. 



Lead 



TRUMP LEADS 



Holding at Least 



Ace 


A, singleton. 

A-K, doubleton. 

A-X, lacking K, any number. 


King 


A-K-X, any number. 
A-K-Q, any number. 
K-Q, any number. 


Queen 


Q, singleton. 

Q-J, doubleton. 

Q-J-X, trebleton. 

Q-J-io, any number. 

Q-J-9, trebleton. 

O-J-9-X (optional, see 4th best). 


Jack 


J, singleton. 
J-io, doubleton. 
J-io-X, trebleton. 
J-10-9. any number. 



24 



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4th 



Q-J-g-X (optional, see "Queen). 
0-J 



-J-X-X, any number. 

-X-X-X, any number. 
J-io-X-X, any number. 
J-X-X-X, any number. 
Any suit headed by the lo (or any lower card), unless the three 

top cards are in sequence. 



Top 
card 



Suit headed by the lo (or any lower card) having its three top cards 

in sequence. 
Suit headed by the lo (or any lower card) containing less than 4 

cards. 



The ace lead shows either a suit composed only of 
itself and the king or else a suit of any length which 
lacks the king. It denies holding the king with any 
third card. 

The king lead always means that the ace or the 
queen or both are held. It denies holding the double- 
ton ace. A singleton king is never blindly led, as it 
stands better chances of either winning or of promoting 
the value of a lower honor in partner's hand if some 
one else opens its suit. 

The queen lead always means that the jack is also 
held or that the queen is single. The suit requires also 
the 10 (or 9) for the queen to come from anything longer 
than a trebleton. The queen blind opening at trumps 
always denies having either ace or king. 

The jack lead always means that the lo is also held 
or that the jack is single. The suit requires also the 
9 for the jack to come from anything longer than a 
trebleton. The jack blind opening at trumps always 
denies having either ace, king, or queen. 

The 10 lead may show a singleton, a doubleton, or a 
trebleton, even without the 9; this is known as a 
**top-of -nothing lead." It may also come from a 

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sequence of at least 3 cards, in a suit of any length. 
The 10 blind opening at trumps denies holding a higher 
honor of its suit. Similar deductions can be made 
from the blind lead of any card as low as the 5. Any 
card from the 8 to the deuce may also be a fourth-best. 

The lead of the 10, 9, or 8 as the top of an inter- 
mediate sequence at trumps is confusing and should 
not be made. 

All tenaces (A-Q, K-J, or Q-io) and other com- 
binations of two honors (A-J, A-io, or K-io) not in 
sequence make bad openings, while blindly laying down 
an ace is apt to cost your side a trick. If some one else 
opens any of those suits you are likely to kill an 
adverse honor or two. The ' * double tenace ' * (A-Q-i o) 
or "3 -card tenaces" (A-J-io and K-J-io), are even 
worse to open. If all your side suits are improper to 
open you can lead a worthless trump to show this 
condition. 

The shorter the side suit the more likely you are to 
win tricks with the same high cards against a strong 
trump declaration. Where your chief object is to save 
game or to defeat a high tnrnip call, side suits to open 
average to rank as follows: 



A-K-Q suits 
A-K 

K-Q-J - 
K-Q 
A 

Singletons lower than K 
Sequences to Q, J, 10, or 9 
26 



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Long suits to Q, J, or lo 
Doubletons 
Long low suits 
Low 3-card suits 

Your partner's no-trump bid or his informatory 
double shows strength, but fails to show specifically 
what lead he most desires. This leaves you free to at 
once show your longest and strongest suit. Do not 
"lead short" and seek a ruff in such cases, except 
where you can play a singleton ace. If in doubt 
what to lead you can lay down the ace of a long suit 
to view dummy before deciding. Do not lead the ace 
of a short suit lacking the king to view dimimy. Re- 
serve the ace for re-entry or to kill an opposing honor, 
and open your next best suit. 

DIRECTED LEADS 

A "directed lead" is to open the suit which partner 
has bid. 

A bidless hand is subordinate to one bid by partner. 
Unless you have bid, you must open partner's suit if 
you cannot see that your own cards will penalize 
opponents or at least save game on another opening 
lead. 

Partner's suit bid, followed by his business double, 
is a peremptory order to lead his suit without regard 
to your own holding elsewhere. Total responsibility 
for results lies with the player whose suit your first lead. 

Suits are generally more easily established by leading 
27 



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up to them than away from them. This is especially 
the case where dvtmmy has shown strength in your 
partner's suit by bidding no trumps over its call. 

An excuse to open your own suit instead of partner's 
against a declared trump is a combination of trump 
strength (or re-entry cards), shortness in partner's 
suit, and a powerful side suit which you wish to at 
once establish against the declarer. 

An excuse to open your own suit instead of partner's 
at no trumps is either an established suit or one es- 
tablishable through your own re-entry if partner will 
once lead it back. Mere shortness in partner's suit 
is never sufficient excuse for opening another suit if 
your partner has made a free bid, or a forced bid and a 
rebid. 

A singleton of partner's suit shown on a free bid, or 
only two or three small cards of his suit disclosed by a 
forced bid and not rebid, does not obligate its lead if 
you have a long suit not requiring much assistance to 
establish. 

Careful consideration is required to decide whether 
you shall open yoiu" partner's suit or your own. Many 
games are lost by opening a suit having unlocated tops. 

Holding A-K of a side suit, you can lead the king 
to show yoiu" re-entry if another lead is desired through 
dummy, hold back the ace and then lead your partner's 
suit. 

A quick trump trick and one or more low trumps 
warrant leading a side singleton before opening part- 
ner's suit of which you hold several small cards. The 

28 



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declarer will probably win the first trick and lead 
trumps. When you enter with your trump honor you 
lead partner's suit so that he can let you rufE your 
opening suit. 

Partner's opening lead of a worthless side card, when 
he can as well lead the suit which you have bid, must 
mean that he has led a singleton and seeks a ruff. 
If he has not assisted your bid it must also mean that 
he has quick trtunp entry and should usually mean this 
even if he has assisted your bid. 

LEADING PARTNER'S SUIT 

The strong hand first bidding a suit is entitled to 
have it opened in any rational way he prefers. Lacking 
other request, open your partner's suit as given below. 

Against a declared trump lead its top card if you 
hold less than 4. Lead fourth best from 4 or more 
which lack a high honor, to enable your partner to 
count the number held by the declarer. Unless re- 
quested by partner it is frequently dangerous to lead 
low when you hold a high honor. If you have 4, 
including king (or queen) , and dummy has 3 , including 
queen (or king) , your partner having A-J-X-X-X and 
the declarer a singleton, a low lead may lose a trick 
with an inexperienced partner. Instead of taking the 
obligatory finesse of the jack he may play his ace, 
thinking to catch the declarer with the high honor held 
by you. Unless you have raised his bid your partner 
may even think that you are leading a singleton. 

29 



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If your partner opens your suit with a winning card 
you must either direct him to lead it again or to 
abandon it temporarily for a lead through dummy's 
strength in another suit. You encourage him to con- 
tinue by playing an unnecessarily high card of your 
suit. You discourage further immediate leads of your 
suit by playing your lowest card. 

It is your business to note whether or not you are to 
continue leading your partner's suit. If he discourages 
it you must search your cards and those of dummy to 
seek what you should next lead. 

Your opening card at no trumps depends upon 
whether the declarer or dummy has shown the stop to 
partner's suit by bidding no trumps over his suit call. 

With the stop shown by declarer you must lead low 
from four or more; also lead low from three including 
a high honor to try to catch declarer's stop on partner's 
return lead. 

With the stop shown by dimimy you must disregard 
the number you hold and open with your highest card 
of partner's suit. 



CONVENTIONS AND CUSTOMS 

Devote yotir third evening to the subject of the 
ordinary conventional plays and the customs of 
Auction. 

Conventional plays are utilized by side players to 
offset as much as possible the declarer's advantage 
derived from playing two hands, just as sound bidding 
discloses to partner your holding. No secret code 
between players is permissible. All players are en- 
titled to know what conventions are to be used. 

RULE OF ELEVEN 

The fourth-best lead is a conventional play to dis- 
close length of suit and approximate holding. The 
number of pips on any fourth-highest card led, de- 
ducted from II, shows the number of cards outside 
the leader's hand which are higher than the one led. 
This is known as the "rule of eleven." If a 7 is led 
it shows that 4 higher cards are held by the remaining 
players. If dummy holds 2 higher cards and the 
leader's partner has 2 it proves that the declarer 
cannot win the trick from his own hand, and thus 
permits the leader's partner to save his higher cards 

31 



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if dummy *' ducks" the 7 (plays a lower card than 
the 7). 

Your partner may lead the 8, for example, from 
K-J-9-8-5. Deducting 8 from 11, you realize that 
outside his hand there are only 3 cards capable of 
winning over his lead. Dummy shows Q-6-2 and 
you hold A-10-4. It is at once evident that the de- 
clarer's hand is helpless, with not over 3 small cards 
of the suit, and that your partner must hold at least 
three others, including K-J-9. Consequently, you 
reserve your ace and win the first trick with your 10 
upon the play of the 2 from dummy. You return the 
lead with your ace, then lead your 4. Your partner 
overplays the 4 with the king, captures the queen, 
and has cleared his suit so that each of its remaining 
cards wins a trick. 

If the leader's fourth-best card is below a 6, the in- 
formation conveyed is small, but it always shows how 
many high cards are lacking in his suit. This enables 
his partner to decide whether he holds a more readily 
establishable suit than the leader. 

THE ECHO 

The most used and most useful signal is the **echo." 
It is given by playing or discarding an unnecessarily 
high card of a suit, followed on the next opportunity 
by a lower card of the same suit. 

It is most commonly employed to call for a specific 
suit to be led by partner, either at tinimps or at no 

32 



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trumps; to request him to lead a third round of a 

suit he is playing at trumps, and to show him at no 
trumps the number held of a suit he has opened. 

PLAIN-SUIT ECHO 

The "plain-suit echo" is used only at no tnrnips, 
to show four or more cards of the suit your partner is 
leading. Play your second highest card on his first 
lead when not holding winning cards, yotu" next high- 
est card on his second lead, and so on tmtil you have 
only two cards left. Your highest card is then played, 
and last of all your lowest card. With 10-8-5-3-2, 
you would play them, in this order, 8-5-3-10-2. The 
echo, followed by a still lower card, thus shows more 
than 4 of the suit. The echo, then a higher card, shows 
just 4 of a suit. 

This logical play of cards at no trumps serves the 
double ptirpose of disclosing to your partner the num- 
ber held and of avoiding blocking his suit. Having 
left until the last your highest original card and your 
lowest, you can win a trick at any time and still re- 
turn your partner's lead. Echo with 3 cards only by 
agreement. 

UNBLOCKING 

Carelessly "blocking" the run of partner's suit con- 
stitutes one of the worst possible offenses. 

"Unblocking" is effected by means of the plain- 
suit echo, as already explained. Nothing else is needed 

33 



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except in cases where you hold honors in partner's 
suit. If these honors are necessary to catch a card 
which otherwise would win a trick for dummy, they 
must be retained for that purpose. On a low lead from 
partner honors are used to try to win the trick and to 
return his lead. If not needed for this purpose, honors 
should be "underplayed" or "overplayed" on high 
cards led by your partner, both to avoid blocking him 
and to ease his mind concerning where they lie. If 
your suit contains over 4 cards, a high enough card 
must be retained to win over the last card of the suit 
which yowc partner can play, so that you can make 
good your last cards of the suit. Keep track of the 
cards played, or else yowc 5-card suit may block a still 
longer suit held by your partner. 

More tricks are lost by underplay than by overplay. 
Never hesitate to take away your partner's trick with 
a card of his suit not actually needed to set it up. If 
dummy is very short of partner's suit the declarer may 
be long. In such cases avoid unnecessarily playing an 
honor which may be needed to clear partner's suit. 

Unblocking methods apply especially to no-trumpers, 
although they can be used equally well at trimips after 
trumps are exhausted or if it is desirable to "force" 
the declarer (make him unwillingly trump a suit by 
continually leading its winning cards). This latter 
process is a splendid way of weakening the declarer's 
hand, but should never be attempted when the "weak 
hand" (the dummy) can ruff, while the strong hand 
can follow or discard. 

34 



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With a shorter suit than your partner's a high card 
must be held up in a case Hke this : 

Queen is led from Q-J-io (or Q-J-g) and others, 
dirnimy shows K-7-5, you hold A-8-2. Unless 
dtimmy's king is played on the first or second round the 
ace must be retained to catch the king, although doing 
so will block the suit. It is better to have you block 
the suit and win the trick than to have dummy block 
it and win both the trick and the lead. 

In a case like the following, however, you should 
not hold up a high card, since dimimy can outwait you : 
Dummy shows Q-6-3, you hold K-7. Whether an 
honor or fourth-best card is led, you must put on your 
king. If you hold off, your partner may abandon the 
suit, particularly if the declarer should win the first 
trick. In any event, holding back your king will block 
the suit. The queen will probably be withheld until 
the third rotmd and block it again. Moreover, if a 
fourth-best card is led, failure to put on your king may 
enable the declarer to win the first trick with a low 
card, perhaps a singleton. Possibly the declarer holds 
both a low card capable of winning over the fourth- 
best lead and the ace; in this case he can win three 
tricks in your partner's suit if you fail to put up your 
king. If you hold ace and another, instead of above 
cards, the ace must go up the first time. 

Holding either ace or king with one or two others, 
with three to the queen in dimimy, on a jack lead do 
not overplay if the queen is held back. It is better 
for you to block the suit than to have it done by the 

35 



CORRECT AUCTION 

declarer. If you block your partner's suit you will 
try to find his re-entry, but the declarer will try to 
avoid it. The jack may be from A-J-io or K-J'-io 
with others, or from a suit headed by J-10-9. In the 
first two cases your holding back will result in your 
winning every trick in the suit. In the last case, the 
declarer will either be forced to put up his highest 
honor or to lose the trick. 

If the hands are reversed, and you hold three to the 
queen, while dummy has a short suit headed by the 
ace or king, you must overplay his jack with your 
queen on the first round, and return the lead if yoiu: 
queen holds the trick. 

With 5 or 6 cards of a suit, you probably have a 
longer suit than your partner; unless your partner 
leads a very low card you cannot be certain of this 
until the declarer is forced to make his first discard or 
unless diunmy's suit is long enough to prove that the 
leader cannot hold over 4 of the suit. 

In such a case, if your partner leads winning cards, 
do not interfere with him. He is clearing the suit for 
you. If a card led is not certain to win the trick, you 
must overplay, if certainly able to win it. When you 
can outplay all your partner's remaining cards take 
the lead away from him. If you hold the winning 
cards you had better take away his lead on the second 
round, or he may believe the declarer is waiting to 
win the third round. 

With your partner holding A-K-Q-J-7, when you 
have 10-8-6-4-3-2, yoMT regular play of 8-6-4-3 will 

36 



CORRECT AUCTION 

cause your lo to win over his 7 on the fifth, round. If, 
however, he held A-K-Q-7, you would have to be on 
the watch to play your 10 on the fourth round, instead 
of your 3, or your suit would be blocked. 

THIRD-ROUND CALL 

The "third-round call" is an echo from the leader's 
partner when a king is led at trumps, to request that 
the suit be led 3 rounds, because the partner can win 
the third trick either by ruffing or with the top honor 
not held by the leader. 

An opening lead of a plain-suit king at trumps always 
means that its leader has also the next card to it — 
either the ace or the queen or both. You accordingly 
know that your partner has the ace if he opens with 
the king when you have the queen. Vice versa, you 
know that he holds the queen if you have the ace. 

If you hold three cards to the ace or queen when 
the king is led, you know that your partner can win 
the first two untrumped rounds of the suit, and your 
echo informs him that you are able to win the third 
round unless trumped. 

When you hold only two cards of the suit from which 
a king is led, if you are both able and willing to trump 
the third round, you echo to state that fact. 

It is useless to echo if dummy's suit is shorter than 

your own. It is also useless if you and dummy each 

hold only two cards of the suit if his trumps all exceed 

your own in denomination. In either case dummy 

4 37 



CORRECT AUCTION 

would win by ruffing, unless the declarer held the 
queen, and a trick would be lost through the echo. 

If you and diunmy jointly hold more than 7 cards 
of the suit, you should not echo, even if you hold ace 
or queen. If you and dttmmy jointly hold 8 cards 
of the suit, you know that your partner and the de- 
clarer have between them only five of the suit. Con- 
sequently, either your partner cannot lead a third 
round or else the declarer can ruff it. 

The leader must disregard the echo if he and dummy 
originally had 9 or more of the suit, since his partner 
and the declarer can hold only 4 of the suit between 
them, and the declarer can ruff the third round over 
the pone. There are many cases where it is desirable 
to keep on leading a suit to weaken the declarer by 
forcing him to ruff, but these cases lie outside the 
province of the convention in question. 

The third-round call, as outlined here, has safe- 
:guards not employed in the ordinary **call-for-a-ruff" 
and *• down-and-out" signals, and for that reason is 
to be preferred to them. Players who show by the 
>echo the queen, as well as ability to ruff the third round, 
average 13 per cent more tricks on the call than those 
who only echo to show the ruff. 

At times a trump is too valuable for other purposes 
to spare it for ruffing. There is never any obligation 
nipon you to ruff in such a case, and you have merely 
to play your cards without using the echo. 

It is usually incorrect to echo with an honor but 
^t times it is best to echo even with a queen. If you 

38 



CORRECT AUCTION 

hold only Q-J when partner leads the king you can 
underplay the queen if you do not desire a ruff. This 
will insure partner's lead of a small card to your jack. 
If you first play the jack a green player may lead his 
ace to see what you will next play. On partner's 
opening ace lead, play jack from K-J-io if queen is 
in dimimy, and play lo from Q-io-X if king is in 
dummy. Various other similar situations arise where 
echoing with an honor is desirable. Some players 
habitually echo with the lo from lo-X, but no player 
ever regularly uses a higher honor in this way to call 
for a ruff. If jack is in dummy and you should echo 
with IO-2 on partner's king lead from A-K, he might 
read the queen in your hand, so you must be careful 
to drop the 2 on his king. Although many players re- 
fuse to echo with the 10, in the long run it pays to 
echo with lo-X when yotu* meaning cannot be mis- 
taken. 

CALL FOR A SUIT 

You request partner to lead a specific suit, either at 
trumps or at no trumps, by means of yotu discards. 
An echo in a suit is a request for that suit to be led 
to you. If you believe that you will have only a single 
discard before another suit is led, you must start your 
echo with a card sufficiently high for partner to realize 
that it is not the lowest one you hold. Any card 
higher than the 7, even if the echo is not completed, 
is usually interpreted as a signal to "come-on." Al- 
ways use the highest encouragement card that you can 

39 



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spare, to distinguish it from a discotiragement card. 
If you cannot well spare a high card of a suit, at a time 
when 2 discards are possible, the discard of your lowest 
cards of the 2 suits you do not desire led tell by in- 
ference that you desire the remaining suit led. 

THE DISCARD 

The combination discard is now used almost every- 
where. It combines ability to call for a suit by means 
of a single unnecessarily high card or by an echo, 
with ability to disapprove of a suit by means of its 
lowest card. 

Two cards of any denomination call for a suit if 
played in reverse order or reject a suit if played in 
normal order. The six lowest cards discarded singly 
reject a suit, the seven highest cards discarded singly 
call for a suit. 

The first discard made is usually the most impor- 
tant to note. Late discards should not be considered, 
unless made very emphatic by an echo or by the 
unnecessary discard of an honor, since it often happens 
that late in a hand cards of moderate size must be dis- 
carded from a suit not desired, to protect another suit 
from attack. 

If you note that your partner does not discard from 
a particular suit you should try to guard the one from 
which he is discarding and discard from the one he 
appears to be guarding. 

Always remember that a discard from great 
40 



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strength means only the loss of a single trick, but 
unguarding a weak suit or failure to save one or two 
cards of your partner's strong suit may mean the 
loss of several tricks. 

If you have no suit which you desire led, at least 
you probably have a suit in which you can save a trick 
or two if you discard wisely. As a general thing 3 -card 
suits suffer more from discards than either longer or 
shorter suits containing equally high cards. Two- 
card suits and 4-card suits are next worst and suffer 
about equally. Next come i-card suits and 5-card 
suits, which also suffer about equally from discards. 
Six-card suits suffer less damage than any previously 
mentioned; 7-card suits still less, and so on. 

Considerable experience is required to tell even ap- 
proximately what can best be spared from some hands. 
It is folly to hoard up all the cards of a long suit with- 
out re-entry cards if your partner cannot put you in. 
Late in the hand some one will probably be forced to 
lead the suit, but in the meantime all chance to stop 
another suit or to help your partner establish his long 
suit may have been wasted by discards from your weak 
suits. On the other hand, if the chances to play out 
a long suit are promising, discards had better be risked 
elsewhere. With ace and queen of a suit wherein you 
hold the "doubleton" king, showing in dummy on 
your right, and the declarer leading a long suit, it may 
be necessary to "blank" your king to save guards to 
another suit. If the ace of a suit of which you hold 
the king lies at your left, with Q-J-io at your right, 

41 



CORRECT AUCTION 

you cannot well spare even one of several guards to 
your king. 

Avoid unmasking possible strength in your partner's 
hand by unnecessarily discarding from your weak 
suit in which dummy shows considerable strength. 
Let the declarer guess where hidden strength lies, 
except where you want partner to lead you a suit, 
or where you do not want a suit led although dummy 
is also weak. 

CUSTOMS 

Where the "Laws of Auction" fail to specify pro- 
cedure, we are forced to depend upon current customs 
or to go back to the rules followed in the older games 
of Bridge or of Whist. 

In cutting always place the cards you remove toward 
the dealer. You have no right to pull cards from the 
middle of the deck or to join the two packets after 
separating them. The dealer must join the two packets. 

In bidding, the dealer is "first-hand," the player at 
his left is "second-hand," and the player at his left is 
third-hand. The player at the declarer's left is known 
as "eldest-hand" or "elder"; the player at declarer's 
right is called "pone," "youngest hand," or "younger." 
The declarer is sometimes called the "strong hand," 
dimmiy is then known as "the weak hand," while 
the declarer's adversaries are termed "side players." 

The pack not in use is known as the "still pack." 

Upon the completion of the deal divide your cards 
into the four suits; alternate the red and black suits; 

42 



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arrange each suit in numerical order. Always count 
your cards to avoid having an incorrect number. 

When you are dimimy spread your cards face up 
on the table, tnmips farthest to your right, the smallest 
card of each suit nearest your partner and within his 
easy reach. 

The declarer collects and keeps the tricks won by 
his side. The opposing tricks are kept by the partner 
of the player winning the first one. The 4 cards of a 
trick should be kept together for possible future 
reference. Tricks should be neatly stacked in a way 
easy to count. The declarer's "book" consists of 6 
tricks. The opposing book consists of 7 tricks minus 
declarer's bid. If he bids 4 the opposing book is 
7 — 4=3. Tricks completing either book should be 
bunched, but added tricks should remain apart and 
be easy to count. It is bad form to bunch tricks 
before the completion of a book and may even cause 
a suspicion that a mistake would go uncorrected by 
the side which it favored. 

Keep your records of rubbers in an ordinary game 
in even hundreds, calling 50 or more points the next 
higher hundred. But the exact score must be kept 
in duplicate games, matches, and in play for top score. 

Side bets follow the game stakes. If you win two 
games but lose on total score you also lose yoiir side bet. 

Where pa5mient is to be made after each rubber 
the loser pays the opponent on his right. 

A retiring player's score must be settled not later 
than the completion of the current deal. 

43 



VALUING HANDS 

Correctly valuing a hand is simple but very im- 
portant. It is convenient to refer to cards which will 
probably win as "tricks." It is also convenient to 
designate as quick tricks cards having trick values 
without regard to the final declarer or his declaration. 
We call cards, having better that even chances to 
win tricks at a particular declaration, probable tricks, 
thus including quick tricks. Probable tricks at tnmips 
also include tnmip tricks and "late tricks." Probable 
tricks at no trumps include the sure tricks. At trumps 
there cannot be any sure tricks outside the trump 
suit, as even an ace may be tnmiped. 

QUICK TRICKS 

A 3 -card suit has precisely even chances of being 
trumped on the third round or of going safely. There- 
fore the term quick tricks in suits of more than 3 
cards is applied only to honors which stand better 
than even chances of winning tricks not later than 
the second round. This limits them to aces, guarded 
kings, and certain queen combinations. High honors 
which will win a trick at least one-half the time may 

44 



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be reckoned as ]4 quick tricks, and two such y 
tricks may be counted as i quick trick. 



quick 





TABLE 


OF QUICK 


TRICKS 




KQmck 
Tncks 


I Quick 
Trick 


T.% Quick 
Tricks 


2 Quick 
Tricks 


aK Quick 
Tricks 


K guarded 
0-J-io (only) 


A 
K-0 


K^-J (only) 


A-K 
A-Q-J (only) 


A-K-Q(only) 



In case of the guarded K, and the A-Q suit, the 
half trick is coiinted only in unhid suits. If the suit 
is bid at your right you reckon a full quick trick 
instead of ^4. quick trick. If the suit is bid at your 
left you disregard the ^ quick trick. (See **Half 
Tricks.") 

TRUMP TRICKS 

Count a trick for each card of an established trump 
suit. If your trumps lack one or more top honors, 
deduct from their value i trick for each honor which 
they lack of being established. 

You count your tnmip tricks on partner'is bid: 

1 trick for each high trump honor (A, K, or Q) ; count 

2 tricks for a void side suit (if you have at least 3 
trtmips), I trick for a side singleton, and i trick if you 
hold 2 side doubletons; count i trick for ruffing a 
void suit with only 2 trumps and disregard other ruff 
values; a singleton trump has no ruffing value. 

An elementary game considers 3 small trumps, or 
2 trumps including a high honor, normal help for 
partner's i-bid; 2 trumps normal help for his 2-bid, 

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I trump normal help for a 3-bid; o trumps normal 
trump assistance for his unassisted 4-bid. An ad- 
vanced game also considers 3 small trumps normal 
support for his free bid of One. It also reduces the 
requirements for normal support in dummy by i trump 
for each additional trick bid by partner before he has 
been assisted. 

But in addition an advanced game recognizes that 
I trump more than the normal ntimber required to 
help any of partner's unassisted bids (whether pre- 
emptive or the result of rebids) is worth yi trick to him. 
On partner's i-bid you can count 4 small trumps as 
worth yi trick and 5 small trumps as worth i trick. 
On partner's unassisted 2-bid value 3 small trumps 
at yi trick; on his 3-bid count >^ trick for 2 trumps, 
and count the same for i trump on his 4-bid. But 
on bids above One you must not count more than the 
yi trick if you hold 4 or 5 trumps. Disregard added 
value for length of trump suit if you hold a high trtimp 
honor. You count i trick for the honor to replace the 
deduction made for its absence in your partner's hand. 
Most bids anticipate the loss of i trump trick. Added 
trump length in dummy in about half the hands 
prevents such loss, hence the yi trick which you count 
for length beyond minimum expectancy, when you do 
not hold a high trump honor. 

Very advanced bidding goes still farther and recog- 
nizes that a singleton high trump honor is the exact 
equivalent of 3 small trumps, and that 2 trumps 
including a high honor is worth 4 small trumps. Do 

46 



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not attempt to utilize these extreme substitutes in bid- 
ding without first reading the chapters, ** Average 
Assistance" and ''Supporting Bids.'* 

Opponents can coimt a trick for the A, the K-Q, 
or the Q-J-io of trumps, on either side of the declarer. 
The A-J-X, K-Q-X, or K-J-io are worth 2 tricks at 
declarer's left, but count for only i trick at his right. 
The K-J-io-X or Q-J-io-X are probably worth 2 
tricks, even at declarer's right, while the former is 
worth 3 tricks at his left. The K-X or Q-X-X coimt 
as a trick at declarer's left only. Four trumps to an 
honor, or any 5 trumps except the lowest possible, are 
probably worth a trick even at declarer's right. 

PROBABLE TRICKS 

Probable tricks at a given call include all cards 
having better than even chances to win at that call. 
At trumps they include tnmip tricks, quick tricks, and 
**late tricks" (cards which must win tmtrumped tricks 
later than the second round). Late tricks can be 
counted only by a player who holds strong trumps and 
re-entry cards. 

A strong declarer, who is able to enter and pull 
trumps before his side suits can be ruffed, is not re- 
stricted to quick-trick values in side suits. He can 
count a probable trick for each card of an established 
side suit, and for each card of an establishable side suit 
minus the loss of tricks necessary to establish it. 

Dummy needs better than average trump strength to 
47 



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count safely late side tricks, while a side player requires 
unusual trump strength or re-entry. Dummy can 
count 3 tricks for an established side suit if he holds 
normal trump strength, but less strength in trumps 
without abundant re-entry reduces its probable value 
to 2 tricks. Without considerable trump strength and 
re-entry a side player cannot coimt an established 
suit as worth more than its 2 quick tricks. With 6 or 
more cards in the side suit he cannot safely count 
more than i trick before it will be ruffed. 

At no trumps your winning cards cannot be ruffed, 
but neither can you stop the run of an established suit. 
In counting your no-tnmip tricks you must take into 
consideration the chances of opponents making good 
their winning cards before you have an opportimity 
to make yours. A shrewd bidder having the lead will 
bid an established suit, or one readily establishable, 
only to go game or to save game. His proper play in 
most instances is to collect penalties. An opponent in 
his position who bids tmnecessarily is a continual source 
of joy to the no-trump bidder. 

At no trumps sure tricks can be counted by the 
leader for each card of an established suit, regardless 
of whether or not he holds re-entry cards. He also 
counts as sure tricks all cards of an establishable suit 
(minus the necessary loss of tricks to set it), provided 
he has re-entry in 2 other suits. Entry in only one 
side suit at best entitles him to count only probable 
tricks in an establishable suit. 

An established stdt is worth its full count to either 
48 



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declarer or dummy, also to third hand if he has a 
sure side trick. 

An establishable suit is worth its full value to a 
declarer (a trick per card, minus the loss to establish 
it) having enough sure tricks in each of 2 side suits to 
establish it, or having a sure stop in all 3 side suits. 
It is worth its full value to a dummy having i sure side 
trick for each of its losing cards. It is worth full 
value to third hand only when it requires i lead to 
establish it, and the player has quick entry in 2 side 
suits. 



THE AVERAGE HAND 

If you dislike figures you may skip this chapter, 
but reading it will make clearer much that relates to 
sound bidding. 

An "average hand" is a much-used expression, 
although its salient characteristics have never been 
correctly set forth in full. The facts which follow 
can be derived only from the mathematical proba- 
bilities concerning the entire set of 635,013,559,600 
possible Auction hands. 

Seventy per cent of all possible hands give a player 
his 4 suits in one of the 5 ways shown below: 

4-4-3-2 is the most common of these five divisions 

5-3-3-2 

5-4-3-1 

5-4-2-2 

4-3-3-3 is the least common of these five divisions 

The other 30 per cent of hands are divided in one of 
the remaining 34 possible ways. The same percentages 
and the same divisions also hold for the way a given 
suit will be divided among the 4 players. 

Note than an average hand will give some player a 
doubleton of a given suit, and that a singleton is more 
common than it is to find all players able to follow 

50 



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3 times in a suit. Cards which cannot win a side 
trick on the first 2 roiinds are ordinarily worthless 
against a strong trump declaration. As the average 
hand contains a 5-card suit we can assume that part- 
ner's trump call shows 5 cards. 

If you could declare and play at double-dummy 
every hand possible to deal (whether your cards 
could win 13 tricks or none), the declarations being 
based solely upon your own cards, you would win 
on an average 4.94 tricks per hand on your own 
cards, while dummy would win on an average 2.69 
tricks. Thus the average hand is worth 5 tricks at its 
best call, and it can assist partner by nearly 2% tricks. 
In addition, it holds a trifle over i}i quick tricks 
and offers less than 2 tricks* resistance to opposing 
calls. But there are 25 per cent of all possible hands 
which have no legitimate bid. Therefore the hands 
which contain proper bidding values must average to 
give the declarer more than 5 tricks from his own 
cards, although the assisting and resisting values of 
average hands remain as above given. Partly due to 
the best hand aroimd the table securing the declaration 
and partly due to the advantage which the declarer 
has of knowing immediately his full resources, about 
one-half of all soimd declarations go game from love 
score. 

On an average 6 tricks are won by trumps, leav- 
ing only 7 tricks to be won by the 39 side cards. 
On an average 5 quick tricks are held in the 3 side 
suits, leaving only 2 tricks to be won by inferior cards 

51 



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and strategy, with the declarer best able to win them 
through knowing from the start the entire 26 cards 
of his side. 

Just what partner has a right to expect from your 
hand will be found under "Average Assistance." 



PRIMARY BIDS 

A "primary bid" is one made during the first roimd 
of bidding. Both experience and probabilities set 
definite minimum quick-trick requirements for free 
and forced first-roimd bids. A * ' free bid " is an opening 
bid, or an imnecessarily high bid made over an adverse 
call, also partner's bid over an adverse bid which has 
been made after you have doubled a previous call. 
All others must be regarded as forced bids. You must 
not expect as much from a forced as from a free bid. 
The latter requires at least 2 quick tricks, while the 
former can be made on i>^ quick tricks. 

Dealer or second hand opening the bidding definitely 
states that he holds at least 2 quick tricks and that he 
can win at least 4 tricks if he plays the hand. He 
further states that he can win at least 3 tricks in his 
trump suit, or that he holds a probable stop in at least 
3 suits at no trtunps. Third hand should not, however, 
open the bidding unless prepared to rebid, or else hold- 
ing at least 3 quick tricks. Fourth hand should let a 
hand pass out unless ready to rebid twice or imless 
able to save game at any call. 

Except with a two-suiter a free bid requires at least 
one of the necessary quick tricks to be in the suit bid 
unless ample compensation is held. A forced bid re- 
5 53 



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quires only ^ quick trick out of the necessary i}/2 
quick tricks to be in the suit called, but the suit must 
be sufficiently long and strong to yield a total of 3 
trump tricks. Six cards lacking its ^ quick trick, 
with 2 quick side tricks, is sufficient for a forced bid, 
while a topless 7 card suit is strong enough for a forced 
bid and a rebid with lyi quick side tricks. 

Two-suiters require the regulation 2 quick tricks for 
free, and lyi quick tricks for forced, bids. But these 
values may all be in the suit first bid, divided between 
the two suits, or even be partially in a third suit. Un- 
less utilized to show a two-suiter over partner's no 
trumps, both suits must contain the probability of the 
regulation 3 trump tricks. Lacking proper tops in both 
suits, your bids must be reserved until the second and 
third rounds. 

With nearly equal tops in both suits, bid the higher 
suit first. If both suits are either major suits or minor 
suits, bid the higher suit first, provided it is worth a 
forced bid. But bid a minor suit first and a major 
suit second, if the minor suit has much the better tops. 

CHANGING PARTNER'S CALL 

Even with normal assistance for partner's trump call 
you can try to improve the declaration. Change his 
minor call to a major declaration on even minimum 
strength, and alter his major call from hearts to spades 
upon better than ordinary cards, or his spades to hearts 
upon a rebid hand. But do not change his heart or 

54 



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spade bid to no trumps if you hold average assistance. 
If you require partner's aid to go game on your changed 
call you must assist him if he will not raise your 
changed bid. 

Unless very strong in the remaining suits do not 
bid no trumps without one or two cards of part- 
ner's suit, as he may have no re-entry outside. If 
he rebids his suit you must abandon no trumps 
unless you hold a double stop in each other suit, or 
a quick trick in two suits and a long-established 
minor suit. Never bid no trumps over opponent's 
suit unless you have it stopped. 

DEFENSIVE BIDS 

Defensive bids are made only over partner's calls to 
lessen probable losses. Cards worth at least 3 more 
tricks on your call than on his warrant a defensive take- 
out, which requires a bid of only i. If a 2-bid is 
necessary to take him out your cards should be worth 
4 more probable tricks on your call than on partner's 
to justify a contract which you do not expect to fulfill. 
If, for example, partner bids i-Heart when you hold 
only I or are void of hearts, 6 small spades (or 6 
diamonds to the Q nothing), and are void of side tricks, 
you must defensively bid i-Spade (or 2-Diamonds). 
You will probably lose 50 or 100 points less on your 
takeout than partner will lose if left at i-Heart, 
unless his hand is considerably above average. He 
may even have perfect support for your shift, and 

55 



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you may do well at a call which was intended only to 
lessen points lost. 



NO-TRUMP TAKE-OUTS 

Take partner out of no trumps on any 6-card 
major suit, or on any 5-card major suit worth an 
opening bid. Also on any 5-card major suit worth a 
forced bid, provided you have also a void or a singleton 
suit. Show both suits of a two-suiter, provided they 
are worth either a forced or a defensive bid. 

Take-out on 6 or more cards of a minor suit, lacking 
re-entry to establish it. Regardless of great strength, 
take-out to the score when you can go game on your 
trump call. To bid a suit after an opponent has 
overcalled partner's no trumps always shows strength. 
It must never be done on a topless suit unless it is so 
long that you intend to rebid it if partner returns to 
his no tnmips. 

Pass opponent's no trumps if partner has previously 
passed and you have the lead, unless you can go 
game with average assistance, unless you can make a 
very strong informatory double, or unless you bid 
to save the rubber. Penalties at 50 points pay better 
than an3rthing short of game. If partner has previously 
bid you must assist him if you can properly do so. 
Do not be satisfied to save game or to win a small 
penalty, if there is a chance for partner to go game. 

Bid for a lead against no trumps provided you can 
set your suit if partner will lead it twice or on game 

56 



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possibilities, or because you hold cards worth a rebid 
but unsuited to save game. Let partner select the 
opening lead when you hold strength in 3 suits or if 
you have an established minor suit which cannot 
give you game, with probable entry in one or more 
side suits. 

INFORMATORY BIDS 

An informatory bid is one made on cards lacking 
rebidding strength. Such bids show 2 or more quick 
tricks with added possibilities, encourage partner to 
carry them on or to make his own call with the as- 
surance of better than average support. They show 
the best defensive opening against opponents' calls. 
Primary bids should be regarded as probably informa- 
tory. A rebid shows a business bid. There is little 
danger of being left in a call made merely to show 
tops. A bid of i-Heart, for example, stands only i 
in 20 chances of being the legitimate final call. A 
I -bid is never doubled to set it. If the doubler's partner 
lets the double of an informatory bid stand and you 
are badly beaten, it must mean that they could have 
gone game had they bid against you. 

COMPENSATED BIDS 

Compensated bids are free bids made on a suit 
lacking its i quick trick, but having cards worth a 
rebid. Unless the hand can be twice rebid on great 
trump length it must somewhere contain more than 
the usual 2 quick tricks. 

57 



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Compensated bids are an important feature of 
Auction when correctly employed. It is not obligatory 
to bid a hand containing less than 4 quick tricks for 
fear that otherwise the hand will pass out. When you 
hold 3 quick tricks there is only i in 4 chances that 
at least one other player cannot make a sotind open- 
ing bid, but 4 quick tricks obligates a bid of some 
kind. Unusual quick trick strength ordinarily calls 
for no trumps, but there are exceptions. 

TABLE OF COMPENSATED BIDS 



Number in 


Quick Tricks 


Tops Required 


Outside Quick 


Suit 


in Suit 


in Suit 


Tricks Required 


5 


K 


K-J-io 


2 


5 





Q-J-io 


3 


6 


^ 




2 


6 





Q-J 


2^ 


6 





J-IO 


3 


7 


y2 


K 


iK 


7 





No honor re- 
quired 


2 



A 7-card suit verges upon a freak hand, while a 
longer suit justifies an opening bid with i quick trick 
anywhere, or a forced bid without even the i quick 
trick. 



CHOOSING BETWEEN TRUMPS AND NO TRUMPS 

Thirty per cent of all hands can be bid no trumps; 
but just half of the same hands can equally well be 
bid tnmips. At a love score you would naturally 
prefer the no trumps to a minor call; but at an ad- 

58 



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vanced score a minor bid able to go game is preferable. 
A strong tnrnip call is safer than no trumps and 
should be preferred where either can probably go 
game or where either can win the same number of 
tricks without going game. But a dubious bid may 
turn out better at no trumps than at trumps because 
it can better utilize dtimmy's strength in any direction. 

The chief distinction between tnimps and no trumps 
is in the distribution of the strength in a hand, and 
whether its longest suit is a major or a minor one. 
If the strength is mainly concentrated in a single suit, 
especially if it lies largely in length of suit, it is a 
trump hand. If the strength is scattered through 3 or 
4 suits, particularly if it fails to give proper bidding 
strength to either major suit, it is a no-trump hand. 

A no-trumper without an ace, unless all suits are 
well guarded, is dangerous. A hand of very unevenly 
divided suits is also dangerous, unless the short suits 
are strong in tops. Such hands should ordinarily be 
bid in some suit. 

Either at trumps or at no trumps the possession of 
several very high cards may not give a very strong 
hand. That depends upon the way the suits taper 
down, and how high your fillers are. Even 3 aces, 
and nothing between them and bottom cards, does not 
give a good no-trump bid. 

PRE-EMPTIVE BIDS 

All unnecessarily high bids have an informative 
side to them, but any such bid of more than Two is 

59 



CORRECT AUCTION 

pre-emptive as well. An unnecessarily high bid can 
rarely be justified merely to prevent other bids if you 
hold more than average side strength. Ordinarily re- 
serve pre-emptive bids for hands of no particular value 
either defensively or as help for partner, but worth a 
large nimiber of tricks at a particular trump make. 
Otherwise you may fail to go game at a time when 
partner could have done so had you not shut him 
out by a bid which your cards did not make obligatory. 
Pre-emptive bids are best utilized in attempts to shut 
out opposing bids which you fear may go game. With 
this object in view you should bid the limit fully 
warranted by your cards. Pre-emptive bids notify 
partner of two things: that he may assist solely upon 
side strength; that he must not count on you for side 
strength if he prefers to double opponents for a penalty. 

If your opponents are inclined to bid recklessly you 
can sometimes utilize pre-emptive bids to collect very 
heavy penalties. Suppose, for example, that you have 
a hand containing powerful side cards, with a sure game 
at hearts. The hand distinctly calls for a bid of 
i-Heart, but you bid 3-Hearts, merely to toll oppo- 
nents into a losing bid. If they make it you go to 
4-Hearts to state clearly to partner that your double 
in case they venture further is strictly a business 
double. 

The added trick, needed to go game from a love 
score which a minor instead of a major trump call 
entails, renders opening bids of Two or Three in 
diamonds and clubs undesirable. But higher bids in 

60 



CORRECT AUCTION 

minor suits can be made in the way major suits are 

called. 

Bid 2 on 6 tricks and added possibilities, if extremely weak 

in the other major suit 
Bid 3 on 7 tricks and added possibilities 

"4 ' * 8 sure, and probably 9, tricks 

** 5 '* II practically sure tricks 

Bids of 2 must never be used to show lack of 
quick tricks in that suit. 

Two-No Trumps. — Show at least 6 probable tricks, 
all suits stopped against leads coming up to the hand. 
Partner is able to make major take-outs on the same 
strength as if only one had been bid. This last feature 
must never be overlooked, nor must such bid ever be 
made to mask an extremely weak suit. 

Three-No Trumps. — A game hand, sure stops in all 
suits; or at least a stop to any possible opening lead 
with enough established tricks to go game before 
surrendering the lead. 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF PRIMARY BIDS 

"Invitation bids,'* urging partner to go no trumps, 
vanished with the appearance of the present suit 
values. All suits are now possible game-goers, and 
strength worthy of a bid in one suit is equally so in all. 
Merely for convenience illustrative bids are given 
below in spades, but any other suit could equally well 
have been used. Only the high cards essential to the 
bids are specifically named. "X" indicates any 
card lower than those specifically mentioned. Quick 
tricks in side suits can be exchanged for any equal 
values given in "Table of Quick Tricks. '* (See chapter 
"Valuing Hands.") 



CORRECT AUCTION 



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63 



CORRECT AUCTION 






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64 



CORRECT AUCTION 



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CORRECT AUCTION 









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CORRECT AUCTION 



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68 



SECONDARY BIDS 

A secondary bid is one started the second round of 
bidding. It may be either a shift of call or a bid made 
by a player who has primarily passed. Primary bids 
and shifts show tops, and secondary bids show length 
of suit. A suit again bid on the third round shows 
great length. 

If partner has not assisted your trump call your 
rebid shows 4 trump tricks and a total of 6 tricks at 
least. A second rebid without assistance shows 7 
tricks and other possibilities. A third rebid under such 
circtmistances shows at least 8 sure tricks with one 
or more probable tricks. Rebids of unassisted no 
trumps show similar total values, in addition to which 
the second rebid shows a stop in all suits, which 
prevents an unexpected lead from wrecking the hand. 

Assume that a player who primarily passes lacks 
the necessary 2 quick tricks for a free bid, or the 
required \]/2 quick tricks for a forced bid. But a 
player having several quick tricks may pass on the first 
round for any one of various reasons. Third hand 
frequently declines to open the bidding, trusting that 
fourth hand will also pass. Sometimes players over- 
look a sound bid, or fail to bid heavily compensated 
suits. It is quite common for a player holding i^ 
6 69 



CORRECT AUCTION 

quick tricks to be obliged to wait until the second round 
for an opportunity to make a forced bid. You should 
therefore realize that a player who bids secondarily 
may hold greater values than required for his bid, 
provided he has passed before the opening primary 
bid was made. 

The standard for secondary free bids is i^ quick 
tricks, and for secondary forced bids it is i quick trick; 
just y2 quick trick less than the standard requirements 
for similar primary bids. 

Free secondary bids occur when you shift your 
primary call ; when you bid unnecessarily high over an 
opposing call; when you bid immediately after an 
opponent overbids your partner's no trumps; when 
you at once overcall an opponent who has bid just 
after your partner has doubled an opposing call 
as a signal for you to bid. Such bids show at least 
lyi quick tricks. Lacking such values, you must be 
prepared to rebid if your partner either changes your 
call or doubles opponents' bids. 

All other secondary bids are forced bids, showing only 
I quick trick. Many otherwise sound bidders utterly 
disregard the probabilities which demand certain 
minimum quick-trick values for secondary bids. Only 
freak hands can properly be bid on less than i quick 
trick over partner's pass. 

You should always have sound reasons for bidding. 
One reason is to guide partner's leads to your quick 
tricks. Another is to assure him quick tricks if he can 
bid. Other objects are to play a hand for gain, or to 

70 



CORRECT AUCTION 

save game at small cost. With less than i quick trick 
in your hand, not one of these reasons exists for a 
secondary bid on an ordinary suit, after your partner 
has passed. He may even be very well satisfied with 
an opposing call which may be shifted to a game- 
going declaration if you disturb it. 

Hands having 2 void suits, or a void suit and a single- 
ton, are freak hands. Such hands warrant secondary 
bids (even if partner has passed) on >^ quick tricks 
or on 2 guarded queens. An 8-card suit may be bid 
without even a high honor in the hand. You must 
ordinarily show both suits if you start bidding a two- 
suiter. A suit unworthy a secondary bid is worth a 
tertiary bid only in rare cases where the bidding 
clearly shows that it must be partner's side suit. If 
partner has passed it is a sacrifice bid to show secon- 
darily a suit worth less than the following probable 
total tricks: 5 tricks for a i-bid; 6 tricks for a 2-bid; 
7 tricks for a 3-bid. (See "Business Doubles and 
Redoubles" for justifiable losses to save game or 
rubber.) 



CORRECT AUCTION 





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CORRECT AUCTION 



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73 



AVERAGE ASSISTANCE 

You may skip this chapter if you find it too dry, 
but it will shed some light on certain obscure features 
of the game. 

The declarer most commonly holds a 5-card suit. 
In such cases dummy holds : 

trump 1}^ per cent of the time 

1 trump 12 *' 

2 trumps 30 ** 

3 Z$ 

4 " 20 , '' 

5 *' 3 '' 
Misc. }i " 

Total 100 

Thus ^ of the time declarer will find either 2, 3, or 
4 trumps in dummy. 

Declarer expects that a standard trump suit like 
A-K-X-X-X will lose i trump trick, that it will 
exhaust opposing trumps in 3 leads, and that he will 
be left with 2 long trumps. This will average to be 
the case: 

37>^ times in 100 if dummy has 2 trtmips 



Thus normal trump strength for dummy must be 
considered as 3 trumps, but 2 trumps, including a 

74 



CORRECT AUCTION 

high honor, will usually enable the declarer to win all 
except I trump trick, but it will average to take him 
3>^ leads to do so, and it will correspondingly cut 
down his long trumps. 

The average ntimber of leads needed to exhaust 
opposing trumps when the declarer holds 5 trumps 
are: 

4.2 if dummy holds i trump, call this 4 leads 
3.4 '' '* '' 3 trumps '' " 3 " 

As already stated, it takes $}^ leads on an average 
to exhaust opposing trumps if dummy holds only 2, 
and 2>^ leads if he holds 4 of his partner's suit. 

You must never risk much on a chance that opposing 
trtimps will be evenly divided between the two ad- 
versaries, for the chances are only about i in 3 that 
such will be the case. Before dummy has been tabled 
you can calculate that there are almost even chances 
that an opponent holds at least one more than the 
nearest even division of missing trumps would give 
him. 

If you hold a singleton of partner's suit the chances 
are 3 in 5 that he has at least 6 instead of the regu- 
lation 5 trumps. If you are void of partner's smt, 
there are 7 in 10 chances that he has 6 or more trumps, 
and not i chance in 100 that he has only 4 trumps. 
All these matters have important bearings upon the 
bidding, and what constitutes proper assisting strength. 

In the following table the average trick losses on 
75 



CORRECT AUCTION 

various combinations in dummy take into consideration 
the various trump lengths which the declarer may 
have. 

AVERAGE TRICKS LOST PER HAND 





Declarer Has Both A-K 


Dummy Holds 


S Trumps 


6 Trumps 


Call Lost 
Tricks 


Tricks Above 

or 
Below Normal 


S, including Q 


Tricks 
o 
0.04 

0.25 
0.S2 

o.6o 
0.74 
1.34 

I. 52 

1.74 
2.34 
3 


Tricks 



o 
o 

O.IO 

0.17 
0.58 
0.90 
0.50 
1.58 
1.90 

2.50 


Tricks 





'A 

K 
I 
I 

iK 
2 

2K 


+ 1 


4, including Q 


+ 1 


5 small trumps . 


-f I 




+ 1 


4 small tnimps .... 


+ y2 


2, including Q 


+ K 







3 small trumps (normal) . . 
2 " " . . 




- H 


I " " 


— I 


Void of " 


-iH 







Call 3 small trumps normal expectancy. Then 
each less trump on the average costs declarer >^ 
trick. Either i or 2 added trumps are worth on the 
average >2 trick each. Except for ruffing purposes 
more than 5 trumps give no added value to dummy. 
Each high-trump honor in dummy counts as a full 
trick. Except for ruffing purposes, the addition of a 
small tnmip to Q-X-X, or to K-Q, adds no strength 
to dummy. A high-trump honor adds the same 
value to dummy's strength as 2 additional small 
trumps. 

Consideration of the entire series of declaring 
combinations shows that the A, K, or Q in dummy are 
practical equals and each is worth on the average i 
trick to the declarer. 

76 



CORRECT AUCTION 

If you have 6 trumps the chances are nearly 3 in 5 
that dummy has only 2 trumps, and if you have 7 
trumps dimimy will more often hold i than 3. When 
you hold 6 or 7 trumps you must not expect dummy 
to hold more than 2 tnmips, and yoiu* opening bid 
of 2, or your rebid, is a request for partner to 
assist holding 2 trumps just as if he held 3. An open- 
ing bid of 3 , or 2 rebids, is a request to assist 
holding a single trump as if he held 3. An opening 
bid of 4, or 3 rebids, is a request to help on void 
trumps as if he held 3. 

If you lack the normal 3 cards of the suit bid by 
your partner, you add to the value of your trump 
strength >2 trick for each unnecessarily high trick 
primarily bid by him, or }4. trick for each of his rebids, 
in calculating whether or not you can assist him. 
This is one of the strongest reasons for opening with 
a higher bid than i, where strength lies almost 
wholly in a major suit, with only i or 2 small cards 
of the other major suit. 

An average dummy wins a total of 2^ tricks, and 
holds i>2 quick tricks, of which at least i quick trick 
comes in a side suit. At least a portion of dummy's 
suits are normal, containing their share of low honors 
and of medium cards which drop gradually down to 
their lowest cards, thus affording opportunities for the 
two hands of dimimy and declarer to make up a suit 
and providing cards suitable for taking finesses. 

Each of these expected features may be of the 
greatest use to the declarer. Quick tricks give entry 

77 



CORRECT AUCTION 

to dummy and enable the declarer to lead through 
strength and to take finesses. They stop the run of 
adverse suits and enable him to lead trumps before 
deadly cross-ruffs ruin his hand. The trump assistance 
enables him to spare trumps for ruffing and still to 
retain control of his suit. Weakness in any of these 
normal essentials may defeat his contract and ample 
compensation is necessary to bring such a deficient 
dummy up to normal expectancy. 

Even if your partner holds only 5 trumps there is no 
great danger in assisting his free bid with 2 instead of 
3 trumps, provided you have no other strong bid of 
your own, and provided you hold more quick tricks 
than are necessary to assist with 3 trumps. Consider- 
ing the strong probabilities that your partner makes 
Up in added length of suit for your shortage, in the 
long run it pays to make a "compensated supporting 
bid." You cannot count anything except quick tricks 
in making a compensated bid. 



VARIABLE HONOR VALUES 

Both integral and fractional card values date back 
to early "Bridge" days, when various systems of 
honor valuations were set for trump and no-trump 
makes. No distinction was then needed between 
quick-trick values and special values on particular 
calls, because there was no bidding contest, and no 
player except the dealer or the dummy when requested 
to name the make or sometimes a player who wanted 
to double the make had any occasion to value his hand. 
No question ever arose as to the value to your partner 
of your cards. But now every player must value his 
cards, for his own calls, as assistance to partner and 
against opposing bids, so that honor values have a wide 
range. 

An illustration will best show the difference between 
the fixed average value at Bridge, and the variable 
value of a high honor at Auction. A guarded king, 
for example, had a fixed average value of % trick at 
Bridge, because there was i in 3 chances that the ace 
lay over it. Only the king of an unbid suit now has 
that value, and then only in certain cases: if you are 
the declarer or if you have unusually strong assistance 
for your partner's call. But its value against an 
opposing trump call is as follows: K-X, 0.61 ; K-X-X, 

79 



CORRECT AUCTION 

0.57; K-X-X-X, 0.52; K-X-X-X-X, 
K-X-X-X-X-X, 0.37; K-X-X-X-X-X-X, 

Queen values in similar situations vary from y. 



0.45; 
0.27. 

toM 



to %, as great as king values. The values of still 
lower cards are so very small and so imstable that they 
are not worth considering as fractions of a trick against 
a declared trump. The value of a guarded king of a 
suit which has been bid may be i trick or o. (See 
"Valuing Hands.") 

You cannot reasonably be expected to carry in your 
head all the varying honor values, but you can readily 
recall them siifficiently for all practical purposes by 
occasionally glancing at the last two columns of the 
table below. 



QUICK-TRICK VALUES OF HONOR COMBINATIONS 





Number in Suit 


Average Value 

in 
Quick Tricks 


Special and 
3-Card Suit, 
Average Quick- 
Trick Value 


Honors 


I 


2 


3 


4 


5 


A 

A-K 
A-K-O 

K 


0.995 
0.33 


0.99 
1.90 

1:24 
0.61 


0.98 
1.84 
2.34 
1. 8s 
I. SI 
1.36 
1. 19 
O.S7 


0.97 
I -75 
2.12 
1.67 
1.43 
1. 15 
1.03 
0.52 


0.95 
1.63 
1.84 
1-45 
1. 31 
0.89 
0.83 
0.45 


2 

iK 
iK 
I 

I 


2K 

2 



HALF TRICKS 

A half trick is the value of any card combination 
which under given conditions averages to win i trick 
about as often as it loses. This value may be a 
special one probable only at a particular call, or it 
may be a quick-trick value which will on the average 
hold against the most unfavorable trump declaration. 
Thus 4 trumps of your partner's suit possess only a 
special >^-trick value, while the guarded king of an 
unbid suit has a standard value of ^-quick trick at all 
calls. Failiu*e to distinguish between trick values 
which hold only under given conditions and quick- 
trick values is a frequent cause of confusion, annoyance, 
and unnecessary loss. 

A 3 -card suit stands precisely even chances whether 
or not an opponent can ruff its third round. Therefore 
quick trick values must be given only to cards which 
may be expected to win on the first or second rounds 
of a suit, or on the third round of a suit of just 3 
cards. Thus we give a value of yi quick trick to 
Q-J-io (only); a value oi 1^2 quick tricks to K-Q-J 
(only); a value of 2>^ quick tricks to A-K-Q (only); 
a value of 2 quick tricks to A-Q-J (only). In each 
case given above the addition of even a single card to 
the suit deducts K quick trick from the value of the 



CORRECT AUCTION 

3 -card suit. The added length of suit still permits the 
full value at no trumps, on strong trump calls of 
their holder, and on partner's trump calls wherein 
their holder is unusually strong. But these are special 
values and not quick-trick values because on an 
average they do not hold good at all calls. Any 
values which a change of call renders probably worth- 
less are not quick-trick values since the latter are 
permanent and irrespective of the particular call, 
or who makes it. 

As used herein yi quick tricks and probable tricks 
are frequently interchangeable and synonymous terms. 
Your ^-quick-trick values against opposing calls 
may increase to values of M trick or even a whole 
trick on your own call or on a call of your partner 
for which you have better than average assistance. 
In such cases you count your ^ quick tricks as probable 
tricks and bid accordingly. 

There are added reasons why your ^ quick tricks 
must be reckoned at higher values when your partner 
is the declarer. He must bid upon the probable 
nimiber of his full tricks. He cannot reckon in the 
values of minor honors nor fillers nor ruffs. He cannot 
take into consideration anything beyond what he can 
see should occur by average. He includes in his bid 
merely the average value of a dummy. You must 
bid all you hold above what your partner expects. 

The declarer knows immediately after dummy is 
tabled the 26 cards of his side. He can combine 
values, take finesses, establish suits, and set-up long 

82 



CORRECT AUCTION 

cards, in ways impossible to opponents. Thus one 
or more tricks is ordinarily won through strategy 
and not because of better cards. If you hold cards 
which enable your partner to do such things you 
must show it by your supporting bids. You must 
realize the possibilities of a strong dummy and the 
special values to your partner of your >2 quick tricks 
and the combined values of the lesser cards in both 
your hands. 



RATIONAL USE OF RULES 

Before applying any rule you must think whether 
or not it fits the case. If it does not exactly apply 
will you lose or gain by following the general rule? 
For example: you hold 3 aces, shall you open the 
bidding with i-No Trtimp? That must depend 
upon the rest of your hand, and your position as 
bidder. You may have a perfectly sound major-suit 
call which is to be preferred. Three aces and nothing 
else but a possible trick would not warrant opening 
fourth-hand at all, nor third-hand if you are ahead 
on the score. When you are ahead is the time to be 
conservative. Three aces and no hope of the fourth 
trick necessary for a bid does not warrant opening the 
bidding in any position. The rule to prefer a major- 
suit call to no tnmips does not apply to any 5-card 
suit weaker than A-J-9-X-X. 

Consider for a moment a case which sometimes 
arises under the classification of supporting bids. 
Your partner's opening bid of i-Heart has been over- 
called by i-Spade when you hold 4 very low spades, 
3 low hearts, with the A-X-X in each of the two 
remaining suits. You have the necessary 2 quick 
tricks for a raise, with normal trump support. The 
whole thing hinges on the remaining requirements of 

84 



CORRECT AUCTION 

normal suits. Is there a card in either the club or 
diamond suit, aside from the aces, which may enable 
you to pick up the needed third trick? Have you a 
card like J, or like 10-8, which will aid partner in 
taking a finesse, or in establishing one of those suits? 
If your suits drop from the ace down to practically 
worthless cards like the 5, 6, or 7, you have a very 
dubious raise, and it may be better to pass if opponents 
have no score toward game. 

Substitute for the aces as quick tricks in clubs and 
diamonds any of the following 2 quick tricks, and 
change these suits to K-Q-X and K-Q-X, or A-Q-X 
and K-X-X, or A-X-X and K-Q-X, and you have a 
sound raise, because it is now possible for your cards 
to win 3 or 4 tricks instead of only 2 tricks. Even 
substitute for the 2 aces the A-K-J of either clubs 
or diamonds and you may win 3 tricks, so that you 
must raise partner's bid, regardless of the score. 
Aside from the possibility of 3 or 4 honors each winning 
a trick, when 2 aces cannot possibly win more than 
2 tricks, is the actual quick-trick value to be considered. 
The A-X-X plus A-X-X is 1.96 quick trick; the 
K-Q-X plus K-Q-X is 2.38 quick tricks; the A-Q-X 
plus K-X-X is 2.08 quick tricks; the A-X-X plus 
K-Q-X is 2.17 quick tricks; the A-K-J is worth 
2.01 quick tricks. You must not raise merely on 2 
aces, lacking all possibility of another helpful card 
in your hand, without thinking it over. Perhaps you 
had better wait until you find out whether partner can 
rebid or show a second suit. 
7 85 



CORRECT AUCTION 

The chances are very small that there exists such a 
peculiar and ideal arrangement of cards that partner 
can go game on a hand with cards unworthy of a rebid, 
if you have nothing aside from the 2 aces. But there 
are considerable chances that your immediate raise 
will result in an unnecessary overbid and consequent 
loss. It is possible to pick out almost any number of 
hands to illustrate unsound principles, but we must 
consider only probable results, not exceptional cases. 
If partner can rebid his hand you must always assist 
him on 2 aces regardless of the remaining cards. 

Players must not make an opening bid on a suit like 
A-Q-J-X-X, unless at least ^2 quick trick is held 
outside. The A-Q-J (alone) is worth 1.85 quick tricks, 
but the quick trick value of the 5-card suit is only 
1.45, barely sufficient for a forced primary bid. To 
make even a forced primary bid on nothing aside from 
the K-Q-J-X-X is unsound. While the K-Q-J (alone) 
is worth 1.36 quick tricks the quick-trick value of the 
5-card suit is only 0.89, so that at least ^ quick trick 
additional is needed for a forced primary bid and 
I quick trick for a free primary bid. Our only absolute 
guides in many cases are probabilities which take into 
consideration all the practical conditions of the game. 

The rules given in this work are scientific, because 
they are based upon fundamental facts and principles, 
taking into account practical considerations and ac- 
cording with our accumulated knowledge of Auction. 
A portion of such rules must change slowly as our ac- 
ciunulated knowledge brings to light new facts and 

86 



CORRECT AUCTION 

added possibilities of the game. Resort is made to 
approximately correct empirical rules in certain cases, 
where true values would shift so often as to prove 
bewildering to most players. 

An empirical rule is one founded on experiment or 
experience, depending on observation alone, without 
due regard to science. Only certain features are con- 
sidered in formulating such rules and no empirical rule 
which goes contrary to the actual probabilities is sound. 
Practical corrections have so frequently to be applied 
to general empirical rules and values that the im- 
portance of a knowledge of the probabilities and of being 
a practical player instead of a theorist cannot well be 
overestimated. A practical system must be elastic 
instead of wooden. 

Many otherwise sound bidders persist in making 
one or more varieties of unusual call. They may be- 
lieve such bids are lucky for them; they may think that 
tactical advantage is thereby gained; they may pride 
themselves upon their superior play; or they may 
honestly believe their bids to be sound. Their reason 
is not important, but the fact that in the long run un- 
sound bids cannot win as much as sound bids is very 
important. So is the fact that their partners lack 
confidence in their bids. 

Use your head all the time. Stick tq rules unless a 
logical reason for a departure is very clear. Do not 
attempt to apply a rule which does not really fit the 
case. 

87 



SUPPORTING BIDS 

Lacking a better bid of your own you must raise 
your partner's bid at the first opportunity upon better 
than average support, but not otherwise. 

The requirements for raising partner's no-trump bid 
depend upon whether your partner has shown a stop 
to an adverse suit by overcalling it. One of you re- 
quires a stop to that suit. If partner shows a stop 
you can raise his bid on 3 probable tricks. If the 
opposing suit is first bid over partner's no trumps 
you can at once raise him upon 2 stops to that suit, 
and a total of 3 probable tricks. You can raise him 
with a single stop and a total of 4 or more probable 
tricks, but the score must be critical to warrant a raise 
on a single stop and a total of only 3 probable tricks. 
At rare intervals you can raise partner's no-trump 
bid without a stop, but this requires you to hold so 
many tops that partner could not well bid no trumps 
without having the adverse suit stopped. 

Two or more stops to an adverse suit, unless you are 
very weak in another suit, warrant a double, to permit 
partner to go ahead with his no trumps or to allow the 
double to stand. If you are very weak in another suit 
you should neither double nor advance partner's no- 
trump bid if an opponent bids a suit in which you are 
very strong. Such a situation too strongly suggests 

88 



CORRECT AUCTION 

either an opposing two-suiter or a "phony" bid. The 
opposing bidder is probably ready to lead another suit 
if you bid 2-N0 Trumps, or to shift if you double him. 

Jump partner's imcontested no-trump bid only when 
you hold honors in all 4 suits, never to prevent a player 
from bidding a suit in which you hold nothing. 

Partner expects to find at least 2 tricks in your hand 
before you bid and you can raise his bid of i-No Tnmip 
a trick for each yi quick trick or probable trick you 
hold over his expectation. 

The standard requirements for at once raising part- 
ner's primary trump bid are 3 low trumps (or a high 
honor), and either 2 quick tricks with added possibilities 
(see "Rational Use of Rules") or i quick trick and 2 
probable tricks. You can raise his bid i trick more 
for each additional yi quick trick or other probable 
trick in your hand (see "Valuing Hands"). 

Normal assistance for a secondary bid made after a 
primary pass is yi quick trick or i trump more than 
needed to assist partner's free primary bid. A rebid 
or his unnecessarily high bid asks you to assist as you 
would a free opening bid. 

You must raise partner at least once upon proper 
strength before doubling an opposing call for penalties. 
The only exception is where you can defeat all possible 
opposing bids for more than partner can make on game 
and honors. 

After you have made a bid of your own you cannot 
assist that of your partner unless you can count more 
values than your own bid indicated, 

89 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Jump partner's bid (unnecessarily raise it) without 
an intervening bid when you have only i quick trick, 
with at least 3 trump tricks due to trump length, high 
honors, and ability to ruff. This is equivalent to an 
original pre-emptive bid and shows your decided 
preference for that call. Jtimp the bid as high as your 
cards warrant, figiiring that yotir partner's cards may 
be worth only 4 tricks. Yotir jumped bid may shut 
out an opposing bid and in any event it will show 
partner the precise character of your hand. 

Never jump partner's bid on cards worthy of a 
standard raise. It is usually unwise to jimip a bid 
over an opposing call, as it frequently spiurs opponents 
to overcall you, where they may drop out if your bids 
rise gradually. 

Over an opposing jumped bid you can afford slightly 
to overbid your hand, but the limit is 2 possible tricks 
overbid. To justify this you need normal trump sup- 
port, at least i quick side trick and a total of 3 or more 
tricks. 

If an intervening player passes, shift partner to his 
original bid of a two-suiter, either on greater length or 
on higher cards of that suit. If the intervening player 
bids you pass, unless you hold cards which warrant 
raising the suit which you prefer had partner rebid it 
instead of showing you 2 suits. Showing a two-suiter, 
then rebidding one of these suits, is equivalent to twice 
rebidding the one which you best like and you must 
assist upon that basis. 

If unable to raise properly partner's i-bid you must 
90 



CORRECT AUCTION 

assist his rebids at the earliest possible moment, to show- 
that your hand is not wholly blank. Two quick tricks 
require 3 small trumps to raise a i-bid, 2 small trumps 
to raise a 2-bid, a singleton small trump to raise a 
3-bid, and void trumps to raise a 4-bid. Three small 
trumps require 2 quick tricks and possibilities to raise a 
i-bid, i>^ quick tricks and possibilities for a 2-bid, 
I quick trick and possibilities for a 3-bid, and the bare 
I quick trick to raise a 4-bid. A quick trick composed 
of 2 honors instead of an ace, or the possession in your 
hand of a Q-J, or the 10-9, to lead up to partner's 
cards, or 3 trumps and a doubleton, or 2 trumps and a 
singleton, is sufficient possibility of an extra trick to 
meet the above requirement of ** possibilities." 

On a I-bid 4 small trumps (instead of 3) add yi trick 
value to the hand, while 5 small trumps add i trick in 
value. No value is added for extra tnrnips when they 
include a high honor. On a higher bid than i you 
add ^ trick for i or more small trumps above the 
normal trump number for the bid in question. You 
can raise partner's bids as follows : 

I-bid on 5 trumps and i quick side trick, with possibilities 
I-bid ' ' 4 * * ' * lyi quick side tricks plus possibilities 
2-bid ''3 '' '' iK '' " '' '' 

3-bid " 2 '' '' i>^ '' '' '' '' 

4-bid '' I '' " i}4 *' '' '' 

Partner expects you to hold at least i quick side 
trick. You must not ordinarily raise partner's bid 
solely upon length of trumps and ability to ruff, or 

91 



CORRECT AUCTION 

you may find your joint hands *' trump poor," having 
equal losing side cards. Exceptions to the general rule 
sometimes occur where you must choose between 2 
calls on a 2 -suiter or when you hold partner's top 
trumps, so that your partner must be bidding upon side 
compensation, or when your partner has shifted from 
an original no tnmips to a suit call. 

Very even lengths in your hand is likely to mean 
somewhat similar suits elsewhere about the table. 
Unless you hold one of its high honors your partner 
may then be bidding a 4-card suit. If you hold a high 
honor there is only i in 379 chances that he holds the 
remaining 4 honors needed to bid a 4-card suit. Unless 
you hold a high honor you must not ordinarily at once 
assist partner's i-bid with less than 3 small trumps. 

There are exceptions to nearly every general rule 
and at rare intervals you may be short of partner's 
suit but very strong in side suits. Then if you have 
neither a strong bid of your own nor a sure business 
double of the opposing bid, you may sometimes 
venture a compensated raise of partner's trump 
call. To do this requires that you hold at least 3 quick 
tricks if you hold only 2 small trumps, 3>^ quick 
tricks if you hold a small singleton trump, and 4 
quick tricks if you are void of partner's suit. This is 
just yi quick trick more strength in each case than 
you need to raise partner upon normal trump strength 
and is following out the same principle seen in making 
a compensated primary bid of your own. In each 
case you run more than ordinary risk, because you 

92 



CORRECT AUCTION 

mislead partner as to the location of your strength. 
This results frequently in an overbid on his part or an 
opening lead from him which proves costly. 

Compensated raises at safe scores apply to partner's 
free bids overcalled by the player at your right. Your 
side may have a game hand if your cards fit, but if 
you pass your partner may not rebid, as you hold 
nearly all the unbid strength. Such raises apply 
also to cases where you have gone no trumps over 
partner's uncontested bid and the player at your 
left has then bid your weakest side suit. If your 
partner fails to rebid his suit or assist your no trump 
you can consider raising his original bid. If the 
contesting bid over your no trttmps is made by the 
player at your right (who has first passed your partner's 
suit bid), you had better pass and see what your 
partner will do. It looks as if the opposing bidder 
approved your partner's bid. A dangerous score 
always warrants taking some additional risk, such as 
at once assisting partner's forced primary bid, but the 
score must be very bad to warrant your risking a 
compensated raise of a secondary bid. 

You cannot make a second compensated raise of 
partner's bid unless he rebids his hand to show both 
length and strength in his suit. When below normal 
trump requirements you must double opponents 
(instead of continuing to raise partner's bid upon 
compensation) as soon as you are certain of a penalty, 
to show partner that your strength is in quick side 
tricks. 

93 



CORRECT AUCTION 

To use these rules safely for advanced bidding 
requires both partners to follow scrupulously the 
card valuations given in this work. Values must not 
be changed nor added to nor must the specified compen- 
sations and conditions be altered, if you expect proper 
results. 



CORRECT AUCTION 



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98 



INFORMATORY DOUBLES 

If you have not made any bid your partner's double 
of any opposing bid (provided he doubles at the 
first opportunity) is informatory and distinctly states 
that he cannot defeat the contract. If you have 
already bid, or if partner has first overcalled an op- 
posing bid and has later doubled it, he makes a 
business double with the intention of defeating the 
contract. 

The informatory double is a peremptory demand 
that you make your best bid (regardless of how weak 
your hand may be) unless you believe that the doubled 
contract can be defeated for greater gain than you 
can derive from bidding. The double does not permit 
you to consider whether you will lose more by bidding 
or by letting opponents win a doubled contract. 
The doubler assumes all responsibility for results and 
demands your bid or the defeat of opponents' contract. 

Either at no trumps or at trumps (regardless of the 
number of tricks bid) your partner's informatory 
double definitely states that he can either support 
any bid you make or that he has a sound call of his 
own to which he will resort if your bid does not fit 
his hand. 

Informatory doubles show enough quick tricks to 
99 



CORRECT AUCTION 

bid. In its primitive form this double shows a no- 
trump hand lacking strength in one suit, so that the 
doubler fears to call no trumps over the suit which 
has been bid or hesitates to bid 2-N0 Trumps over 
an opposing no trumps. Both a no-trump bid and an 
informatory double inferentially show strength in at 
least 3 suits and deny cards warranting a major suit 
bid. But legitimate no-trump bids and informatory 
doubles are sometimes made where sound spade or 
heart bids could equally well be made. A "one- 
suit no-tnmiper" (a long established minor suit with 
a side ace) is bid at times. So a powerful major suit 
and little else is sometimes hidden beneath an informa- 
tory double. 

An informatory double of no tnmips usually re- 
quires you to bid yotir best suit. If that suit has 
already been bid by an opponent you can bid 2-N0 
Trumps if you have safe stops in the suit with quick 
side tricks. In that case the opposing no trump must 
be rather a denial of the suit than a show of genuine 
strength. Ordinarily, however, you must bid your 
second-best suit when an opponent has already bid 
your best suit. If no suit has been bid you can some- 
times bid 2-No Trumps over i-No Tnmip, provided 
you hold no suit worth bidding and have honors in 
at least 3 suits. This can be done most safely if the 
original no-tnmip bidder sits at your right. If he 
sits at your left he has the opening lead and you may 
find that he has a one-suit no-trumper, with a long 
established suit to open. If you have only a lone 

100 



CORRECT AUCTION 

established minor suit and the opening lead you 
must let the double stand, unless your left-hand 
opponent bids. Otherwise you can rarely let the 
double stand with the idea of defeating it for a gain. 
Ability to do this means usually that you can go game 
at your own best call. Strength in 3 suits in your 
hand may mean a "camouflage double," and your 
partner ready to make a ** submerged bid" over any 
responsive call from you. Yoiir failure to bid will 
probably mean your loss of a game, partner's caustic 
remarks, and possibly permit opponents to win the 
doubled contract. Your partner is responsible for 
your forced responsive bid, but you are responsible 
for an attempt to defeat a doubled contract. 

If partner doubles a trump bid wherein your best 
suit is adversely bid, you have these choices: to bid 
your second-best suit if you can neither defeat the 
doubled contract nor hold sure stops in the suit; 
to let the double stand if you can defeat the contract 
but are not certain of game if you bid ; to go no trumps 
on sure stops in the suit, if you can go game, or if 
you cannot be sure of setting the contract. If you 
bid you can later double the opposing suit rebid at 
any time you are certain to defeat it. Partner must 
then decide whether to let the double stand or to 
continue your call. Stops in an adverse suit when 
you cannot afford to let an informatory double stand 
require you to bid no trumps, even without side 
strength, if no reasonable suit bid is possible. A 
very weak suit bid is preferable to no trumps on a 
8 loi 



CORRECT AUCTION 

single stop unless you hold at least minimum no- 
trump strength. 

With a choice of bids there are several important 
considerations. Your partner is prepared for a major 
suit bid and it takes a trick less to go game than 
does a minor suit. A spade or heart call can usually 
win at least one more trick than a no-trump call of 
equal strength. No trump shows only stops to an 
adverse suit ; it gives no indications as to your strongest 
suit. 

The informatory double of no trumps and the cor- 
responding trtmip double have grown to be such im- 
portant features of modem Auction that a player must 
understand thoroughly their numerous phases to cope 
successfully with up-to-date players. 

Aside from the regulation double, showing no- 
trump strength in 3 suits and weakness in the remain- 
ing suit, there are three other important varieties : 
the first is the *'2-suited double"; the second is the 
"camouflage double"; the third is the ''masked 
double." 

A regular informatory double demands assisting 
strength in 3 suits. If p^artner bids your weak suit 
you must be able to shift to no trumps or to another 
strong suit. 

The two-suited double is made on tops of a major 
suit, and a long powerful minor suit. If partner 
happens to bid the major suit you let his bid stand, 
but otherwise you bid your minor suit. 

The camouflage double is made against no trumps 
102 



CORRECT AUCTION 

on a single powerful suit which may not go game 
imless you can coax an opponent to double your 
contract. If you bid the suit it will probably result 
either in a dangerous shift by opponents or else they 
will let you undertake an undoubled contract. Your 
immediate bid might force an undesirable call from 
your partner, resulting in one of you playing at too 
high a bid, whereas your double will force a bid from 
either partner or opponent which you can overcall. 
An underestimation of your strength sometimes 
produces the desired double, and sometimes you find 
sufficient help in dtimmy to go game anyway. 

The masked double is made against a suit wherein 
you are very strong, with ability to support either of 
two remaining suits, or to go no tnmips if partner bids 
your weak suit. One particular object of this double 
is a hope that opponents will continue their bids to a 
point where you can double for heavy penalties. 

You must always realize the possibility of a camou- 
flage double or a masked double. Neither overcall an 
opposing bid made immediately after partner's double 
nor go on with your bid made in response to his double 
if partner shifts your call, unless you would do so with- 
out the informatory double. 

If partner bids a suit and then doubles a subsequent 
call he requests you to make your best bid unless you 
hold normal trump help for his call. You frequently 
hold cards neither worth a raise nor a change of call; 
then you must decide which you most nearly hold. 
Such doubles usually come from hands where partner 

103 



CORRECT AUCTION 

has chosen to bid a short strong suit instead of no 
tnimps. What he most probably wants in yoiir hand 
is length in his suit. 

Opponents sometimes jump their bid after an 
informatory double to prevent the doubler's partner 
from making anything except a free bid from genuine 
strength. You must repeat your double in such cases 
(provided your cards warrant it) if yotir partner does 
not bid. 

Partner's double of each of two opposing suit bids 
asks you to choose between the two unbid suits or to 
bid no trumps if you hold stops to the suit first doubled. 
In the latter case decide between a suit bid and no 
tnmips almost as if the second doubled suit had never 
been mentioned, 

A partner with stops to the first doubled suit and no 
trump strength will bid no trumps before you have an 
opportunity to double the second suit. Therefore 
partner's no-trump bid made only after you have 
doubled both opposing suit calls cannot argue well for 
your success unless you hold unusual strength in 3 
suits. If you cannot well stand leads through your 
hand of the suit last doubled you had better risk a 
call in one of the unbid suits. Leads through your 
tenaces in the second doubled suit and return leads 
through your partner's stops in the first doubled suit 
are apt to prove very disastrous to you. 

An informatory double ranks as a no-trump bid and 
promises more than the strength needed for a minimum 
no-tnmiper; in fact it more nearly ranks as an opening 

104 



CORRECT AUCTION 

third-hand bid. Any no-trump bid, particularly one 
opening the bidding third hand, aside from its chances 
to go game, tends to subdue opposing bids through fear 
of serious losses. That is also one of the most patent 
results of informatory doubles, if made by a sound 
bidder. Otherwise they become subjects of ridicule, 
like gauzy no-trumpers. 

If your partner has passed his opportunity to open 
the bidding you cannot credit him with more than the 
average i}4 quick tricks. If your partner has failed 
to overcall the bid of his preceding opponent or if your 
partner's pass is followed by an opposing no trumps, 
you must credit partner with even less than the average 
1^4 quick tricks. If he holds unusual length of suit 
he can bid unnecessarily high or rebid in response to 
your informatory double to show real strength. 

Both experience and probabilities set a minimum 
requirement of 2>^ quick tricks to double a trump bid 
of One and 3 quick tricks to double i-No Trump. 
You must also hold a total of at least 4 probable tricks' 
assistance for partner's most imfavorable response to 
your double, or else a sound call to which you can 
shift if partner's response is unfavorable. 

You can raise tentatively partner's responsive bid 
to show strength on his particular call beyond the 
minimum required to make the informatory double. 
Partner must rebid his hand if he can see trick proba- 
bilities beyond the 4 tricks minimum expected of 
him. In that case you can raise him (just as if he 
had bid without your double) a trick for each >^ 



CORRECT AUCTION 

quick trick or other probable trick, which you have 
for him. 

To the strength needed to double a i-bid you must 
add yi quick trick (or r probable trick) for each 
added trick bid, to make sound doubles of higher 
bids. 

Sometimes a bad score warrants you in helping 
partner beyond your holdings when opponents have 
jumped a bid. Only on the rubber game does a 
similar situation often arise with informatory doubles. 
Sometimes you can risk a double to the score on cards 
slightly below standard requirements. 



INFORMATORY REDOUBLES 

If he has made no previous bid yoiir partner's 
redouble of an informatory double (provided he re- 
doubles at the first opportunity) is informatory. 

To a lesser degree the "informatory redouble" 
shows precisely what an informatory double announces. 
The informatory redouble shows minimum no-trump 
strength, 3 guarded suits and weakness in the fourth 
suit. This redouble of a suit bid shows that particular 
suit to be the weak spot in the redoubler's hand. 

Your partner's informatory suit redouble warns 
you not to rebid if you need trump assistance, but 
assures you of side support worth a raise. The re- 
double encourages you to go no tnimps or to change 
your trirnip call if you have a 2-suiter. At times the 
only possible response to an informatory double is a no- 
trump bid from the doubler's partner. Your partner's 
redouble tells you not to open the suit you have bid 
if you need assistance in establishing it against an 
opposing no-trumper. In that case you must open 
your second-best suit in order to put your partner 
in the lead. As soon as partner is in he will lead 
through the declarer the suit which you have bid, 
to make its establishment easy. This important 
phase of a sound informatory suit redouble requires 

107 



CORRECT AUCTION 

you to hold one or two of partner's suit. If you are 
void the redouble is out of place. If you hold more 
than two of partner's suit you can at once jump 
partner's bid over the double instead of redoubling. 
No bid must have two meanings (unless you are so 
strong that partner's misunderstanding can do no 
harm). 

Your partner's informatory redouble of your no- 
trtrnip bid encourages you to continue your call (if 
you can stop the suit bid which must follow the re- 
double) or else to double the opposing bid for penalties. 
Yoiu- partner's informatory redouble is the equivalent 
of a bid and your subsequent double of an opposing 
bid is strictly a business double. If your no-tnmiper 
is weak or if you are not sufficiently strong in the 
adverse suit safely to continue no trtimps, you can 
bid a suit with advance assurance that partner can 
either support it or can shift back to no trumps. 
The redouble does not obligate you to bid and you 
can pass if you lack a thoroughly sound call. 

On partner's redouble of your no-tnmip bid you 
must be careful about continuing it if you have a very 
weak minor suit, even if one of your stronger suit is 
bid against you. It happens about 2 in 9 times that 
opponents have the same suit as their strongest one. 
In response to an informatory double of no tnmips 
a player bids his best major suit even if it is slightly 
inferior to his best minor suit. If the major call 
does not fit the doubler's hand he may open a minor 
suit in which your side holds nothing and run it all 

108 



CORRECT AUCTION 

off against you. It is, however, tinlikely that after a 
double you will find a very long major suit led unless 
it has been bid. 

An informatory double shows bidding strength and 
ranks as an opening bid. An informatory redouble 
shows assisting strength and ranks as a supporting 
bid. Whether you should redouble an informatory 
double of partner's bid or should jump his bid is not 
a question of the strength in your hand. The informa- 
tory redouble requires the same strength as it does to 
jump partner's bid. The problem is easily solved 
by the way yotir strength is distributed. An informa- 
tory redouble requires strength in just 3 suits aggregat- 
ing at least 2 quick tricks, with added possibilities. 
Such strength distributed over 4 suits obligates jump- 
ing a no-trump bid instead of redoubling it. You 
redouble partner's trump bid to show outside help 
worth a raise but lack of normal trump strength to 
warrant an immediate raise. You jump partner's 
trump bid on normal trump holding to show at least 
I quick trick, with at least 2 other probable tricks, 
regardless of where the side strength lies. It is by 
observing consistently such niceties of the game that 
two experts manage to get more out of their hands 
than is possible to an ordinary good pair. As the 
above distinctions are sound and will in the long run 
gain points, they should be observed even when 
your partner cannot read their specific meanings. 
They are practical and not merely conventional, 
although a trained partner will derive additional 

109 



CORRECT AUCTION 

benefit from the latter feature. The average strength 
of partner's no-trump bids must to some extent in- 
fluence your acts. If he bids too filmy ones you 
require more than minimum strength to jump his 
bid or to redouble. 

If your partner's bid is doubled you shift his call 
precisely as you would had the doubler bid instead of 
doubling. Defensive bids cannot be made over an 
informatory double, as such bids show strength. 
Ordinary cards urge a pass instead of a bid, as the 
doubler's partner may then be forced to bid your best 
suit. In this case you may win 50 points a trick in 
penalties instead of making from 6 to 9 points a trick 
toward game. 

When your partner makes an informatory double 
of a trump bid which you can defeat you make a 
"business pass." But no such an event can well hap- 
pen against sound bidders if an informatory redouble 
is also made. The redouble has warned the original 
bidder to go no trumps or to bid another suit, if you 
pass because you can beat the call. If you are mis- 
taken in your belief that you can defeat it, even the 
redoubled odd trick means game on a major call. 
With a single exception (explained below) you must bid 
on an informatory redouble. Bid no trumps on a 
single stop to the adverse suit or even on 5 of that suit 
without a stop, if you have no 4-card side suit or even 
a 3 -card side suit with an honor. 

There is one case only where you must make an 
"informatory pass" on a redoubled suit bid. With 

no 



CORRECT AUCTION 

just 4 low cards of the suit bid, and three 3-card side 
suits, all of which lack an honor, you must pass. The 
very specific information thus given partner will best 
enable him to make his proper bid. If your partner 
is unfamiliar with the informatory pass over an in- 
formatory redouble you must bid a major 3-card suit. 



CORRECT AUCTION 



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CORRECT AUCTION 



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STICK TO YOUR RULES 

Every honorable player scrupulously observes both 
the letter and the spirit of the Laws and the Etiquette 
of Auction. Deliberate violations of either are con- 
sidered serious offenses. The time has now come for 
players to be equally scrupulous about their bids. The 
Laws of Auction are no more definite than are the rules 
for making sound bids. Every card committee should 
require players to observe certain elementary principles. 

Players who would not think of cheating on the score 
do not hesitate to deceive their partners by announcing 
values in their bids which they do not hold. This 
deception is mainly due to ignorance. Players who feel 
obligated to know the laws do not take the trouble to 
master the elementary principles of the game. Such 
players are a continual source of annoyance to others 
and a cause of unnecessary losses to their partners. 

Your partner's acts are largely influenced by your 
own. This makes it obligatory not to deceive him. 
His implicit confidence means more to you in the long 
run than your sum total of occasional gains through 
imusual practices. We are all too prone to depart from 
rules, especially in our bidding. A hand looks too good 
to wait for a secondary bid, or we want to help partner 
and do so without full justification, or we fear that the 

115 



CORRECT AUCTION 

other side will go game, etc. Neither underbid your 
hand nor bid before the proper time, nor overbid unless 
it is to save game at a trifling cost. 

Auction is indeed **a game of aces and kings." As 
yet few players have fully grasped the importance of 
making each bid and double clearly announce a definite 
minimum in quick tricks; you may hold more than 
you advertise, but you must never have less. If you 
lack proper values to bid immediately you must take 
a chance that later you can do so without deceiving 
your partner. 

Another great weakness in most games is player's 
ignorance of genuine quick-trick values of hands. Do 
not deceive yourself and others by misvaluations of 
yotir honors. Read and reread the chapter, "Variable 
Honor Values," until you know it by heart, then stick 
to it. Do not let anyone talk you out of the proper 
use of actual quick-trick values. You can win the 
maximum only by always having the odds in favor of 
your bids, leads, and plays. 

There is nothing new about the value at all calls of 
quick tricks. As far back as March of 19 13 my 
Scientific Auction Bridge set forth these same principles 
as fully as seemed wise at that time. 

Genuine quick-trick values and only genuine quick- 
trick values hold at all calls on the average, whether 
playing the combined hands, assisting your partner, 
or struggling against an opposing declaration. Such 
values are disclosed by sound bids as follows : 



CORRECT AUCTION 

MINIMUM QxnCK TRICKS DISCLOSED 



Bid made 




Quick tricks shown 


Pass 

Defensive takeout 




o 
o 


Supporting partner 




I 


Forced secondary bid 




I 


Free 




I>^ 


Forced primary *' 




^H 


Free 


^ 


2 


Informatory redouble 




2 


'' double of 


trumps 


2H 


n. 


no trumps 


3 



BUSINESS DOUBLES AND REDOUBLES 

Your partner's double means "business" if you have 
already bid (or doubled) or if he has first overcalled the 
bid which he later doubles. This "business double" 
states that he expects to defeat the doubled contract 
for a greater gain than yoiir side can win by playing the 
hand. 

A "business redouble" comes only when a business 
double is redoubled. The redouble of an informatory 
double is never a business redouble. 

Do not double or redouble, even on a certainty, if 
there is a probable loophole for opponents to escape 
to a changed call less favorable to you. If your part- 
ner's bids and your own cards show the impossibility of 
an escape to a call less favorable to you there still 
remains the question whether the expected penalties 
will pay better than your own best declaration. Never 
double opponents before you help your partner at 
least once on proper strength, unless the penalty won 
will exceed what partner might win from game and 
honors. 

Many doubled contracts prove to be winners. Do 
not shift your partner's doubled contract unless you 
either would have done so or could safely have done so 

ii8 



CORRECT AUCTION 

had he not been doubled. Bid after your partner has 
made a business double only to atone for your own 
deceptive bids, unless you are sure of game and a profit 
in excess of anjrthing probable from the double. Re- 
member that the fewer adverse trumps you hold the 
more your partner may have. Yoiir chief concern lies 
in yotir quick tricks and whether you have overstated 
them. 

A free double occurs when the fulfillment of an un- 
doubled contract will win game and a slight liberty 
only can be taken in such a case. A cinch double occurs 
when opponents can neither make their contract nor 
escape to a safer call. The latter double is the only 
safe one to make if opponents require a doubled 
contract to go game. 

A double discloses where opposing values chiefly lie. 
If both opponents have rebid, it indicates that the de- 
clarer can lead from one hand to the other at will. By 
thus finessing through the doubler's strength or by 
putting the doubler in and so forcing him to lead away 
from his honors, the declarer gains a possible trick. 
Many games are saved by refusing to double after both 
opponents show strength, thus forcing the declarer to 
guess where opposing strength lies. 

An average rubber runs 400 points or 200 points per 
game. The side winning the first game has 3 in 4 
chances to win the rubber. Taking these known facts 
and momentarily disregarding all honor values it is 
very simple to determine how much you require in 
penalties to pay you better than winning any specified 

119 



CORRECT AUCTION 

game — first, second, or rubber game. In each illus- 
trative case we will assume that you can choose between 
definite penalties and game. 

Take four illustrative hands and no score, with a 
choice each time between going game or collecting 200 
points penalty. If you collect 4 X 200 = 800 in penalties 
you must expect to finally win two rubbers and lose 
two rubbers, with a net profit of 800 points. If you 
choose to win the game each time you will ultimately 
win three rubbers out of the four, with a net profit of 
800 points, just as if you had each time chosen to take 
penalties. 

Now take four hands and opponents a game in on 
each. If you each time collect 200 points penalty 
you will collect 800 points penalty and win one rubber 
in four, thus coming out even. If you choose each 
time to take the game instead of the penalty you will 
win half the rubbers and come out even, just as if 
you had taken the penalties by doubling. 

Next take four hands where you are a game in. If 
you go rubber each time you net 4X400 = 1,600 
points. If you choose to double and collect 200 
penalties each time, you will have 800 points in penal- 
ties and you will still win three out of f otur rubbers or a 
net of two rubbers. These rubbers, each at 400 
points additional to the penalties, will give you an- 
other 800 points. Thus again you will net 1,600 
points total; whether you double or at once take 
rubber the final result will be the same. 

Last of all take four hands where you and opponents 
120 



CORRECT AUCTION 

have each won a game. You now have the choice each 
time of doubhng for 400 points or of taking an imme- 
diate rubber. The four rubbers are worth i ,600 points. 
The doubles are each worth 400 points or 1,600 points 
total. If you take the doubles you will lose half the 
rubbers, so that your final net winnings in either case 
will be 1,600 points. 

Aside from honor values we see that it does not 
matter who is ahead on the score or whether there is 
no game score, taking 200 points on a double and 
winning the game averaging about the same. But 
winning the rubber game and 400 points penalty 
average to be worth the same. 

Deducting opponent's honor values from double 
penalties and adding honors to your own game score 
necessitates defeating opponents for 300 points on any 
except the rubber game and defeating them for 500 
points on the rubber game, to gain more by a double 
than by taking a sure game. 

You may sometimes desire to prolong a rubber 
against opponents who rashly overbid or who play 
a very inferior game. You may sometimes prefer to 
win a quick rubber to escape a poor partner. Aside 
from such considerations you will in the long run 
win most by defeating opponents by 3 doubled tricks 
in preference to winning any except the rubber game. 
You will win most by taking the rubber game in- 
stead of an3rthing short of 500 points penalty. The 
reverse of this depends upon how things are going. 
If you are losing all the rubbers anyway you had 

121 



CORRECT AUCTION 

better escape as cheaply as possible. With even 
chances on good hands you can better afford to go 
down 2 doubled tricks and win your honors than to 
let opponents score game plus their honors. You 
can better afford to risk a loss of even 3 or a possible 
4 tricks, than to surely surrender the rubber game. 

In actual play you can rarely tell just how mucn 
you can defeat a high opposing call, but with a reliable 
bidding partner you can ordinarily approximate 
within a trick what you can win on your own high 
bids. First, you have to consider the probable accuracy 
of all the bids which you have heard, especially those 
of your partner. Is he inclined to stretch the rules, 
stick to them, or is he a little timid? Add to your 
own effective tricks against the opposing bid your 
estimate of what partner can win (see ** Stick to 
Yoiu- Rules"). The resulting estimate must show 
whether you can save game, can defeat opponents, or 
should rebid your hand. 

If you can surely save game you must stop short 
of an overbid. Usually prefer to take even 100 points* 
penalty in preference to anything short of game. 

A business redouble is seldom soimd. It has an 
extremely limited field with players of your own 
caliber, should never be used against better players, 
and sparingly against poorer players. Game on a 
doubled contract which you can just make is equivalent 
to setting opponents for 300 points on any game 
except the rubber game, and for 500 points on the 
rubber game. Before you redouble just consider how 

122 



CORRECT AUCTION 

much you can defeat any possible bid into which 
your redouble may frighten opponents. 

Sometimes you or your partner can see plainly 
that you must slightly overbid your hands to prevent 
opponents from winning a sure game. If you are 
doubled and either of you can also see that opponents 
must overbid their hands if they venture farther, 
then you can make a **fake redouble" in an attempt 
to frighten one of them into a losing rebid. In general, 
the best advice which you can give concerning re- 
doubles is, ''Don't." 



NO-TRUMP LEADS 

Departures from standard leads are at times ad- 
vantageous, and sometimes almost obligatory. A 
simple case will best illustrate one standard variation. 
Suppose that you hold Spades, 10-9-5; Hearts, 
6-4-2; Clubs, K-J-8-5; Diamonds, 7-4-3. Suppose 
that the dealer at your right bids i-Club, you pass, 
your left-hand opponent bids i-Spade, your partner 
passes, and the dealer makes a final bid of i-No 
Trump. Your partner has shown no strength unless 
it lies in spades, but two things are apparent — that the 
dealer is weak in spades, and that his partner either 
has no-trump support or lacks rebidding strength — 
while your even suit divisions argue short suits around 
the table. You will lose a trick if you open the clubs, 
and you may seriously mislead your partner if you 
open either red suit. Your only reasonable opening 
is the spade 10. It shows your partner that you are 
short in both red suits, that what strength you have 
lies outside the spade suit, and that your only long 
suit is clubs. When your partner enters he can open 
his best suit, or return clubs through the declarer. 

If you must open from a suit of 5 or more cards 
which has been bid over you previous to the final 
no-tnmip declaration, you may open with the lowest 

124 



CORRECT AUCTION 

card, instead of your fourth-best. Either lead shows 
that you are short elsewhere, yoiir deception cannot 
well injure your partner, but it may bother the de- 
clarer if he attempts to establish the suit over you in 
the erroneous belief that you hold only four. 

A fourth-best lead should, if possible, be made 
from a suit having fair chances to win a trick or more, 
without expecting partner's hand to do it all. If a 
low 4-card suit is headed by a sequence of at least 
3 cards a better lead can be made with its top card 
than with its lowest one. Partner can usually detect 
the sequence lead and thus know that the suit contains 
no high cards. 

A 5-card suit headed by jack, or a longer suit lack- 
ing an honor, can usually be established in 3 leads. 
Counting on your partner to return your lead once, 
you generally require at least 2 re-entry cards in your 
own hand, one to secure the third lead of your suit, 
and the other to get in after yoiu: suit is established. 
If you cannot hope to establish your suit you must 
utilize re-entry in attempts to establish a suit for 
your partner. 

In leading from a sequence always lead the top card 
(imless that is the ace, then lead the king). On the 
following round lead the lowest card in your hand 
sure to win a trick. This is to show the length of the 
sequence. From A-K-Q-J-io-8 or K-Q-J-io-8 lead 
the king. On the second round lead the 10. The 
third round lead the lowest remaining card of the se- 
quence — in this case the jack. In case the 9 falls to 

125 



CORRECT AUCTION 

your king you lead the 8 instead of the lo for the second 
roiind, since the 8 will win as surely as the lo. It is 
yotir partner's business to note the fall of the 9 and to 
interpret correctly your lead of the 8. At trumps 
(unless you open the suit after all trumps are exhausted 
from your partner's hand) the second lead of a low 
card of a sequence may possibly fool partner into 
thinking that you hold only the ace, king, and the low 
card, and are offering him a ruff, saving the ace for 
future use. The safer way to lead at tnmips is to go 
down in regular order — K, Q, J, and so on. 

Never lead from the middle or bottom of a sequence 
either carelessly or to fool declarer. It is almost certain 
to fool partner and may cost you several tricks, as well 
as your partner's confidence. 

It is often important to know the length of partner's 
suit. With at least 3 honors in sequence, K-Q-J, you 
can show a 4-card suit by leading them down in regular 
order, king followed by queen. With more than four 
of suit you can follow the king lead by the jack. 

The general rule for no-trump openings demands an 
honor lead from a long suit containing 3 honors, with 
2 honors in sequence. Six in ten times, however, you 
will find one opponent holding as many cards or more 
than you have in your 4-card suit. Then the opening 
lead of an honor may assist the declarer in establishing 
your suit against you. If yovir partner happens to have 
a card in sequence to one of your honors a f oiu-th-best 
lead usually wins a trick more than an honor lead. The 
chief advantage which the honor lead from a moder- 

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ately long suit possesses is the display of tops, which 
urgently requests your partner to return that suit 
when he is next in the lead. 

Lack of re-entry demands careful thought as to your 
proper opening from a strong honor suit. If you must 
lose a trick, do so early while your partner can return 
your lead. If you hold top honors you must weigh the 
chances of catching adverse honors against the chances 
of losing the remainder of your suit on a late block. 

Do not expect partner to follow suit twice to win- 
ning cards of your long suit (or to follow once and win 
the second trick), and still be able to lead you back a 
third rotmd. It can be done 63 times in 100 if you 
only hold 4, 54 times if you hold 5 ; but only 42 times 
when holding 6, and 32 times in 100 if you hold 7 of 
the suit. Where high cards are probably insufficient 
to clear a suit this probable inability of your partner 
to lead a third round necessitates in many cases a 
low opening lead when you hold no re-entry. Such 
procedure loses the first trick two-thirds of the time 
but it gives your partner enough better chances to lead 
a second round (if he holds re-entry) to more than com- 
pensate for the times you may be fortunate enough 
to clear the suit if you made high leads at first, in 
order to catch opponents' unguarded honors. 

Take this suit, A-K-J-X-X-X, without re-entry. 
If you open with the top honors to try and catch the 
queen yotir average chances to establish it are only 48 
in 100. If you open with the king to view dummy, 
and then temporarily abandon the suit, if dummy lacks 

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the queen, in order to secure a lead through the de- 
clarer, your chances are only a fraction better. If you 
lead your fourth-best card, the chances are 63 in 100 
that you will finally establish your suit. You also 
gain 18 tricks in 100 deals over either of the first two 
methods. But if you open with your jack to force 
out the queen, your suit can be established 65 in 100 
times. You also gain 27 tricks in 100 over methods 
No. I and No. 2, and 9 tricks in 100 over using the 
fourth-best lead. With only five cards in the suit 
the fourth-best lead is slightly better than the jack 
lead, and it is still better than the jack lead when you 
hold only four cards in the suit. But these differences 
are so trifling that they may be outweighed by the 
chances that partner will prefer to try the establishment 
of his own best suit in preference to helping you, 
unless you disclose your great strength by an honor 
lead. If yoiu* fourth-best card happens to be very low, 
or if it happens to be so high as to appear to be the top 
of a low sequence, partner may readily think that yovir 
suit is hopeless. 

Without re-entry, more certain results accrue from 
leading out the honor immediately below the missing 
one than by attempting to catch it by means of higher 
leads. With proper cards of re-entry more gain comes 
from high-card leads. You then add your chances of 
re-entry to partner's small chances of being able to 
lead your suit. This method averages to gain about 
one-quarter trick per hand over the method necessary 
when no re-entry is held. 

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The second no-trump lead from a suit like A-Q-J- 
X-X, if the king does not cover your queen lead, will 
be the jack, but the third lead must depend upon cir- 
cumstances. If the king lies well guarded in dummy, 
the declarer may refuse to play it upon the queen 
because he believes that you are leading from the top 
of a sequence Q-J-io and others, and that your partner 
holds the ace. In that case the deception is kept up 
by a second lead of the jack, which may be passed 
also. If the king still has a guard and partner and 
declarer follow both times, the lo must fall, and none 
of the suit remain except those held by yourself and 
dummy. If you are without re-entry the ace must be 
played to save that trick and to note from his discard 
what partner wants led. If you have re-entry and a 
low card to beat anything except dummy's king, 
you can lose nothing by leading it instead of your 
ace, trusting that the declarer will not correctly 
interpret the fall of the lo and will now expect your 
partner to play the ace. Unless you hold the 9 the 
fall of the 10 must show any observiing player that 
you led from A-Q-J instead of from either Q-J-io 
or Q-J-9. Even so it can do no harm to give him 
a chance to make a mistake, sometimes even a good 
player will do so. 

Upon an opening lead of queen from A-Q-J-X-X 
two out of three times the king will lie with pone or 
declarer. If your partner (the pone) holds four to 
the king, he will probably unblock in regulation style. 
With three to the king, and nothing to catch in the 

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dummy, he must overplay with his king, and return 
his next highest card of your suit. It is useless to 
hold up a high card unless it is needed to catch some- 
thing shown by dummy. If the declarer holds three 
or four to the king he will, in all probability, let 
you win the first trick. It is likely that you cannot 
tell until the second round how the cards are distrib- 
uted, and the only thing to do is to lead the jack on 
the second round, regardless of the other cards you 
hold. If the king does not fall on the jack, 'the ace 
must follow, and next a small card, if you have re- 
entry. If you have no re-entry and dummy's hand 
leads you to believe that yoiu: partner may have a 
third card of your suit, you can stop the suit after two 
rounds and try to put your partner in with another 
suit, in order to secure a lead of your own suit through 
the declarer. Without re-entry, and without hope 
that your partner has a third card of your suit, the 
only remaining thing to do is to lead your ace and 
then abandon the suit for one which may help your 
partner. 

Being blocked on the third round of a suit is more 
than twice as serious as being blocked on its second 
round, because your partner's chances to hold three of 
your suit are more than twice as good as his chances 
to hold four. On that account it is better to be blocked 
the first or second round than on the third. The de- 
clarer knows this and acts accordingly. 

Holding A-Q-J, the most common divisions of the 
suit are as follows : 

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// you have a 
total of 


The others wUl 
usually hold 


After the opening lead 
they will hold 


4 




4-3-2 


3-2-1 


S 




3-2,-2 


2-2-1 


6 




3-2-2 


2-I-I 


7 




3-2-1 


2-I-0 


8 




2-2-1 


i-i-o 



As the missing king can rarely be more than singly- 
guarded on the second round, the jack lead will usually 
bring it out, but the ace lead on the second round will 
probably cause a loss on the third round, with all that 
it entails. 

The ace-queen-jack combination is no more impor- 
tant than various others. The reasons for entering into 
a discussion of several of the many problems which 
may arise from its opening is merely to illustrate 
certain points liable to come up on any combination. 

1. If the first lead is lower than a missing honor to draw 
it out and fails to do so, the second lead should usually be 
made with the same object in view. Let an unavoidable 
block come as early as possible, to enable your partner to 
lead back yoiu- suit. 

2. With a trick to lose and one to gain in a suit by playing 
its last cards, whether or not this should be done must depend 
largely upon what you can hope from your partner if you 
refrain. 

3. It may pay temporarily to abandon a long suit while 
your partner has a retinn lead, if you have no re-entry, and 
if the declarer can block you, to try and put your partner 
in so that he can lead through the declarer. 



TRUMP LEADS 

A common fault is to seek ruffs when players have 
better blind openings than singletons. (See chapter 
"Standard Leads" for the relative value of different 
openings.) It is usually even worse to open blindly a 
low doubleton, just because you hold a few small 
trumps. You must lay down your high cards, espe- 
cially those of long suits, before an opposing hand can 
discard and ruff them. Do not seek ruffs when you 
hold the ''blank" ace of trumps, K-X, Q-X-X, 
J-X-X-X, 10-9-X-X, or five of any kind. Exceptions 
not to ruff when holding a guarded tnmip honor occur 
when dummy lies over all your trumps, so that they 
are worthless except for ruffing. This situation fre- 
quently arises when dummy's no trump has been taken 
out by a trump call, or when the declaration has been 
made in response to dummy's informatory double. 

A strong side suit, either with ample trump or plain 
suit re-entry, is a powerful weapon to weaken the 
declarer by repeatedly "forcing" him (making him 
trump your high side cards). 

Trump attack is sometimes advantageous when you 
are strong in trumps and have in addition either a 
powerful side suit, or hold scattered quick side tricks, 
or when partner has strongly bid a suit of which you 

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hold several small cards. A trump opening from 
moderate strength and quick side tricks is nearly 
always best when opponents have first bid two other 
suits before agreeing upon a third, or "compromise,'* 
trump declaration. Trump attack is intended to pre- 
vent a weak dimimy from niffing your honors, and to 
cut off an attempt of the declarer to cross ruff the suits 
upon which his side could not join in a declaration. 
A sequence of high trumps or a long trump suit is 
ordinarily needed to make blindly a trump opening 
except against a compromise bid. 

If you win your opening lead you must note whether 
or not your partner requests you to continue leading 
that suit. After playing your tops of a suit you must 
open another suit, unless your partner has encotiraged 
you to continue your first leads. If dummy is very 
short in one side suit, and has another very long un- 
established suit wherein you hold stops, you must lead 
trumps to prevent cross ruffs. At no trumps dtunmy 
may have a long nearly established suit, with the only 
re-entry a side A-X. You hold the side king and can 
surely prevent the establishment of the long suit only 
by first removing the ace. You must abandon your 
opening suit and lay down your side king to force 
out that ace. 

In seeking a suit wherein partner may hold tricks 
you ordinarily lead through dummy's strength, but 
not through too great strength or you may establish 
an entire suit against you. Lead through suits com- 
posed of a high honor with several small cards; go 

10 133 



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through his tenaces, especially his minor tenaces, 
where your partner may hold A-Q over K-J. Do not 
lead through honor combinations suitable for blind 
openings, like A-K, K-Q-J, or Q-J-io suits. 

Opening new suits and skimming your tops from a 
suit are common necessities at trumps. Such pro- 
cedure at no trumps is very bad. Playing against a 
no-trumper you stick to a suit until you see something 
better to lead; it is better to return partner's suit even 
up to a major tenace than to open another suit wherein 
you hold nothing and have no reason to assume that 
your partner has strength. Games are frequently lost 
by needlessly taking out partner's re-entry, instead of 
returning his no-trump lead to strength in dvimmy. 

When in doubt what to lead against a trump call 
you lead through dummy's strength or up to dummy's 
weakness. Against a no-trumper you always lead 
dummy's weakest suit when in doubt, whether through 
it or up to it, especially if it is a major suit. If neither 
you nor dummy has honors in a suit, your partner may 
hold considerable no-trump strength. The different 
procedure in cases of doubt comes because a no-trump 
declaration shows distributed strength. 

You must always believe your partner in preference 
to drawing deductions from the declarer's play. The 
latter plays both hands and purposely misleads you 
whenever possible. If your partner drops the 9 on 
your opening lead of a king and then plays his lowest 
card on your ace he states that he can win the 
third round. You must believe your partner, even 

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if the declarer drops the queen with only one card 
unplaced. 

If your partner chooses to lead up to dummy's 
K-J-X, instead of leading to pronounced weakness 
in dummy, you must assume that he trusts you to 
win with the ace and at once return that suit for 
him to ruff. But partner's lead to a very long and 
strong suit in dimimy may be either because he leads 
a singleton or because he hopes that you can ruff. It 
must be the latter if dimimy has the top card of the 
long suit, unless you are known to hold the top trump. 

Before retiiming your partner's opening lead you 
must think whether you cannot advantageously 
open a new suit. If you have both bid the same 
suit and partner has opened with a losing card of 
another suit he states that he has led a singleton in 
order to ruff its second round. If you have bid dif- 
ferent suits and he has opened your suit instead of 
his own, he either hopes to ruff your suit or his suit 
has a tenace or single high honor to which he wants 
you to leadf: If your partner bids a suit without 
your assistance, then opens with a losing card of 
another suit, he probably desires a lead to the tenace 
in the suit which he has bid. His blind opening of a 
worthless trump shows that all his side suits are 
improper to open. Dimimy's cards and yoiu: own will 
show which side suit you must lead. Partner's open- 
ing lead of an ace followed by another of that suit, 
requests a ruff (vinless you have encouraged him to 
go on with the suit). 

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In leading to dummy's great weakness you should 
try to lead a card high enough to beat dimimy, in 
order to force a higher card from the declarer. 

It is useless for eldest hand to treasure a major 
tenace of which dxmmiy holds the king. It is useless 
for pone to hold up a tenace unless dummy does 
hold one of its honors. After seeing dummy you can 
lead from such combinations when convenient. 



SECOND-HAND PLAY 

The following rules are helpful to both eldest hand 
and pone at second-hand play. The former can use 
more discretion than the latter in their application, 
because the cards coming next after the pone are 
concealed. 

1. Holding a fourchette over a card led, never play lower 
than its upper card. (Thus, play the 7 on the 6 led if you 
hold the s also.) 

2. Cover an honor led, even if the dummy can outplay it, 
unless a special reason exists for ducking — such as possessing 
the lowest cards of a long suit headed by a single honor. 

3. It is generally best to cover a card led in sequence to 
those in a strong dimimy. It may enable your partner to 
wia a later trick. 

4. It is useless to cover in above case if dummy is so strong 
that no hope exists for your partner to win a trick in the suit. 
(Your only chance lies in the declarer running out of the suit, 
so that dummy will finally be forced to lead a losing card 
up to you. Thus, imder No. 3 it is best to cover the declarer's 
10 with the queen from three, when dimimy shows A-K-J-X, 
because foiu* to the 9 in partner's hand can win a trick. 
Under No. 3 it is useless to cover the declarer's 10 with 
queen from four, when dummy shows A-K-J-X-X-X. 
It is impossible for either pone or declarer to hold over two 
of the suit with eleven cards in sight. It is possible that the 
declarer is leading a singleton and, failing to drop the queen 
from yoiu: hand, he may overplay his 10 and make your 

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queen good for the third or fourth round, depending upon 
whether he overplays with his jack or king on the first round.) 
$. Hold command of the opponents' long suit at no trumps 
as long as possible, to run their short hand out of leads. 

6. Do not cover a clearing-card lead with a winning card 
unless holding back may cause you to lose it later. (On a 
queen led up to dummy's J-10-9-X-X with the ace unplayed, 
do not cover with the king from three or four. Your partner 
may have the ace. If the declarer has the ace he cannot 
catch your king and by holding back you may prevent him 
from establishing the suit.) 

7. Holding 2 honors in sequence and a low card, "split 
honors" on a low lead by covering with the lower honor. 

8. Save honors barely guarded, like K-X, Q-X-X, 
J-X-X-X, at the first opportunity. Hold back well-guarded 
honors to give your partner a chance to win with a less- 
favored card. 

9. Play low on a low lead, unless you can split honors or 
cover with a card from a fourchette or can save a badly- 
guarded honor. 

10. Play the smallest of a long series of low cards which 
fail to hold a fourchette over a low lead. The higher cards 
may later win a trick. 

11. Win a trick cheaply to save your partner from playing 
a higher card. 

12. Do not hesitate to sacrifice a high card to force one still 
higher out of dummy, if doing so will enable either you or 
your partner to win a later trick. 

Always know what you are going to do and play 
quickly but avoid the appearance of unnatural haste. 
Both hesitation and ostentatious asstirance in playing 
cause the declarer to ponder the probable cause. 

The detection of what the declarer is attempting 
when he opens a suit often shows what you should play 

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to most hamper him. He may desire to clear a suit; 
merely to put the lead in dimimy's hand in order to 
open up another suit and have the lead come up to 
his own tenace; to deprive your side of a re-entry 
card or make re-entry for dummy; to pull out your 
trumps; to gain a ruff from dummy's weak hand; to 
start a cross-nifi; to lead up to dummy's strength on 
one suit, and back to his own on another suit. Always 
try to discover just what he is attempting to do, as it 
will sometimes enable you to defeat his purpose by 
departing from a general rule. 

ELDEST HAND 

The following are examples of constantly recurring 
cases where individual thought is needed to make the 
best play of eldest hand's cards on leads by the de- 
clarer. 

Suppose that the declarer leads the jack up to 
dimimy's A-Q-7-4 when you hold K-9-8-5. You 
can see 9 cards. It is possible that your partner 
holds 4 cards to the 10; but if the declarer has another 
card of the suit to lead it is certain that the pone can- 
not stop the suit imless you force out the ace. Even 
if the declarer has all the remaining cards of the suit 
your 9 must eventually win a trick if you cover with 
the king and force the ace; consequently, you should 
do so. This comes tinder Rule 3 (Second-Hand Play) 
in a general way, but belongs more especially to Rule 
12. If dummy shows the A-Q-10-7 you must not 

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cover, because the Q-10-7 will still dominate your 
9-8-5 and your partner cannot possibly win a trick. 
This comes under Rule 4. 

Suppose jack is led up to a ragged suit in dummy 
like A-9-6-2, and you hold Q-8-5-4. You do not 
know where the K-i 0-7-3 li^- If pone holds the 
king, even as a singleton, either his king or your queen 
is bound to win a trick. If declarer holds the king 
he may attempt to finesse the jack, or if you do not 
cover he may overplay with the ace and lead back 
to the king in his own hand. If he also holds the 10 
and another he may then attempt a finesse of the 9. 
The chances are better than even that the pone holds 
either king or 10, and he may have the latter doubly 
guarded. If he does hold the latter combination the 
declarer has only one more card to lead, so that your 
queen will be safe. If declarer has only one more it 
is fairly certain that it cannot be the king, or he would 
have led it first. It is useless to play the queen, under 
all the possibilities. This is covered by the exception 
under Rule 2. It also comes under Rules 5 and 8. 

Under Rule 7 you would play the queen from 
K-Q-X if a low card were led up to A-J-X-X in 
dimimy. If you were to play the king instead of the 
queen you would fool your partner, who would credit 
the declarer with holding the queen. Later on you 
might greatly desire entrance, but your partner, be- 
lieving you did not hold command of that suit, would 
not lead it to you. As fooling the declarer would be 
useless, the queen and not the king should be played. 

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Do not expect to fool a seasoned player with a freakish 
play. If you hold A-Q-X and dummy has K-J-X-X, 
do not expect that your play of the ace on a low lead 
to dummy will make the declarer believe that pone 
holds the queen. If you fear that the suit may not 
be led again before the declarer can ruff, or if you are 
in a hurry to re-enter, you must play the ace. To 
attempt to win two tricks you must play low, hoping 
that the declarer will misread your holding, and that 
he will try to shut out the queen by playing dummy's 
king. As a matter of fact he will probably finesse the 
jack. 

While most of the rules relate particularly to no- 
trumpers, at trumps it is sometimes better to wait 
before playing a high card of even a plain suit. As an 
example, suppose you hold A-X when a small card is 
led up to dimimy's K-J. The chances are about 
80 to I that declarer has more of the suit. If he holds 
the queen and you hold back the ace on the first round, 
nothing is lost. If the declarer does not hold the 
queen and you play low, he may attempt a finesse of 
the jack, and yotir partner will win with the queen. 

Another case, even at tnmips, where it is ordinarily 
better to hold back the ace on the first round, is where 
any card lower than the king is led by declarer, with 
not less than 2 small cards in dimimy. If your partner 
has the king he will win; if the declarer has it your 
ace will still be good. 

As a general thing at trumps it is useless to hold back 
from covering an honor, especially if the dummy and 

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yourself jointly have over 6 of a plain suit led, or if 
either of you will be able to ruff on the third round. 
There are special cases, however, where it will pay to 
hold back on account of what you believe partner may 
hold. When you hold either the king or queen and the 
other does not show in dummy and is not led, your 
best chance is to wait, even if you have only a double- 
ton on the lead of J to A-io-X-X in dummy. 

Probably the most troublesome thing to the majority 
of players is to know when to play the king if they are 
led through by the declarer, with the A-Q and others 
showing in dummy, or when the queen is led and the 
ace shows in dummy. The best thing ordinarily to do 
is to follow the general rule of playing high from 2 
^ards and low from more than that number. If your 
king is singly guarded and there is a chance that 
pone may later be able to take a trick, you had better 
cover the queen; but if a low card comes through, 
and the ace, queen, jack and others show, it is best to 
hold off until the second round. 

Suppose that you hold K-X-X at no trumps, a small 
card comes through and dtimmy shows A-Q-J-X-X, 
but lacks the 10. Some players put on the king, be- 
cause they say that if the declarer has another card 
to lead the king must surely fall, because the ace will 
be led on the third round. With nine cards in sight 
the pone has in 100 chances 22 to hold all four missing 
ones, 27 to hold three, 27 to hold two, 22 to hold one, 
and 2 that he holds none at all. Unless he holds four 
he cannot save the 10. There are 22 chances in 100 

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CORRECT AUCTION 

that the declarer has not another card to lead, and if 
he has you force him to use up a re-entry card in his 
own hand to lead through you again if he finesses the 
dummy's jack on the first round. By holding back 
the king, if the pone has four to the lo, the only way 
the declarer can act is to abandon the suit or make 
his second lead direct from dummy, which will result 
in your side making both king and lo good. At first 
sight it might appear that it would be useless to hold 
back the king, still we can see that it adds nothing to 
your chances to play it, and you may win an extra 
trick by waiting. 

If the ace and small cards only appear in dummy 
and the queen is led through your king, a careful 
analysis of what will happen with the jack and lo 
variously located in the hand of declarer or pone and 
accompanied by varying numbers of cards shows the 
following general rule can be made: Cover the queen 
in each case except where your suit is longer than 
dummy's. In that case, of course, your king will be 
good after the ace is played. 

Similarly, if you hold three or more small cards and 
the queen, with jack led, the king in dummy and the 
ace invisible, you had better cover tmless you hold two 
more in your stiit than dummy shows. 

PONE 

The pone has little opportunity to deviate from 
stereotyped forms of second-hand play, because third- 
hand cards are always concealed. 

143 



CORRECT AUCTION 

The twelve rules given for ** Second-hand Play" 
apply to pone as well as to eldest hand, except the pone 
must often surmise what the declarer holds, while eldest 
hand always knows what dummy has. 

Holding a suit which demands an opening lead of 
an honor, cover a small card from dummy with an 
honor. Thus play the lo on a low card led through 
these suits : A-J-io-X, K-J-io-X, Q-J-io-X, J-io-X. 
Remember that you always lead the top of a sequence, 
but you must follow on another's lead of the suit 
with the lowest card of a sequence. 

At trumps, precisely as if you were eldest hand, it 
is generally best to win your tricks as soon as possible 
before the suit can be ruffed. At no trumps hold back 
winning cards of opponents* suits as long as possible, 
both because it gives eldest hand a chance to make 
his high cards good and because it, may result in using 
up opponents' valuable re-entry cards. If you can 
hold off long enough to see partner's discard it may 
prove valuable if you have no more of his opening suit, 
or if it has turned out to be hopeless, so that you seek 
another opening. If dummy's suit is shorter than 
yours, your holding off when led through often gives 
you an additional trick, because the declarer has to lead 
to you instead of through you. 

Declarer's lead of a suit at no trumps usually indi- 
cates that he holds several honors or many cards of it. 
The cards you see in dimimy and in your own hand 
sometimes enable you to gain by a departure from a 
general rule. 

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CORRECT AUCTION 

Holding K-Q-X, on a singleton jack led from 
dummy it is always proper not to cover. If the de- 
clarer dares to finesse the jack, you must win one trick 
if you play low, and if he puts on the ace because he 
has a very long suit you will win two tricks. With a 
small lead from dummy's doubleton it is useless to 
cover the first lead from K-Q-X. You are sure of 
a trick, anyhow, and it is possible that 2 tricks may 
be won. 

Cover even a low-card lead if you hold a fourchette 
over it which is lower than your best card. At trumps 
you must split your honors on leads through your 
K-Q-X suits. 

In discarding on opponents* leads at no trumps al- 
ways retain one card of yotu* partner's suit, two if 
possible, so as to return his lead twice, except when 
you must unguard an honor in another suit to thus 
help him. Your duty lies first to your hand, and only 
second to his. Where only a single card can be re- 
tained a low card is more apt to meet his needs than 
a high one. 



THIRD-HAND PLAY 

ELDEST HAND 

As the only cards to be played after eldest hand are 
exposed, third-hand play for eldest hand is very simple. 

The general rule to be followed at trumps or at no 
trumps is to win with the lowest possible card. If 
unable to win, take care not to let dummy win too 
cheaply. 

PONE 

This part of the game is much more difficult for the 
pone than for eldest hand. The former has the de- 
clarer's concealed strength over his cards, while eldest 
hand plays with ftill information as to what dtmmiy 
holds over him. 

The general Whist rule of "third hand high" or- 
dinarily governs the play. If your highest card is one 
of a sequence, like K-Q-J, you will play the jack. 
If it wins you will return the king. If that wins you 
will lead your queen. If your jack, from Q-J, loses 
to the declarer's ace, your partner will know that you 
hold the queen, or the declarer would have won with 
the queen in preference to using the ace. Should you 
play the queen from Q-J, your partner could not tell 

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that you held the lower honor, and would credit its 
possession to the declarer. 

If you hold Q-io-S and dummy plays 9 from J-9-3, 
you will play the 10. Your cards and dummy's are 
in sequence, and you play in regulation manner the 
lowest card of the combined sequence. The play per- 
mits you to retain the queen over dummy's jack, and 
still renders your holdings perfectly clear to your 
partner. If the declarer wins with the ace or king, it 
is self-evident in the first case that you hold the queen; 
but in the second case it may appear possible that the 
declarer is false-carding and holds the queen as well. 

An absolute rule for third hand is, never finesse 
against a partner. This means that you must play 
your highest card on your partner's lead, except in 
two cases — viz.: 

1. When partner leads a supporting card on the chance 
of striking your strong suit, or leads a suit in which you have 
indicated strength either by bid or discards, he is then 
merely trying to assist you. The suit is yours to play as 
you deem best. 

2. When dummy shows a card impossible for your partner 
to catch. You can hold back a high card to prevent dummy 
from wirming. This play aids your partner in the final 
establishment of his suit. 

To play the queen from A-Q and others, upon 
a low opening card led by your partner, is not proper 
if dummy shows nothing. At trumps he may be lead- 
ing a singleton. If you play the ace in such an event 
and return his lead, you offer him the only chance 

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he may have to make good a small trump; but if you 
put up the queen the declarer will win with the king, 
and will probably lead trumps. Finessing against your 
partner's hand is one of the worst possible mistakes. 
Even if your finesse succeeds, it sometimes fools your 
partner on the location of your high card. A finesse 
which fails may even cause your partner to abandon a 
good suit because he thinks it is hopelessly against him. 

At no trumps you may for several rounds hold over 
a card in dummy. At trumps it rarely pays to hold up 
an honor merely on account of what dtmimy shows, 
as the danger of finally losing your honor through a ruff 
from the declarer is too great. 

Suppose that your partner leads a low card at no 
tnrnips, d-ummy shows only 3 small cards of the suit, 
and you hold K-J-X. Your partner self-evidently 
has not 3 honors in the suit, unless he holds less than 
7 to A-Q-io, or he would lead one of them, so it 
is practically certain that the declarer has an honor, 
possibly two of them, and holds less than 4 of the suit. 
You must play your king, which can only lose to the 
ace, and if you win you must lead back the jack. 
If instead of doing this you play the jack on the first 
round, you may lose to a twice-guarded queen, which 
can never win a trick unless you finesse against your 
partner. The loss of this one trick may lose you the 
rubber, while saving it and having a successful contract 
the next hand may win the rubber for you. If declarer 
holds the ace as an only honor, the king is no worse 
to play than the jack. With the 10 or queen it is 

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better. If the declarer holds two honors it will make 
no difference, if the two are ace and queen, as you must 
lose two tricks whether you play jack or king. If 
declarer holds A-io-X or Q-io-X it does not matter, 
since you and he will each win one trick. As the king 
can never be the poorer card to play, and in certain 
instances is the better card to play, a finesse of the 
second best cannot be justified. So it is in all similar 
cases where dttmmy shows no strength in the suit led — 
the pone must play his highest card at third hand on 
his partner's opening low card. 

If the same card is led at no trumps when pone holds 
K-J-X and an honor is in dimimy, what pone must 
do depends upon dummy's honor and its guards. 
Suppose that dimimy has a doubly guarded honor. 
If it is the queen, pone must hold his king and play 
the jack. If the held-up honor is the ace or lo, pone 
must play his king and return his jack. 

At no trtmips, if a small card is led and you hold 
K-10-3, if dummy plays 7 from Q-8-7, you will 
cover with the 10. If the declarer has either a guarded 
jack or the ace it will be impossible to prevent his 
winning with one hand or the other. By holding the 
king you are preventing the queen winning, anyway; 
but by playing the king the queen must win, and if 
the declarer holds the ace you will lose two tricks 
instead of one. If dummy shows one more card to the 
queen than you hold to the king, you should play the 
king on the first round and return the 10. If dummy 
holds Q-X-X-X, and the lead is a card which dtimmy 

11 149 



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cannot beat without playing the queen, and which you 
need not raise, you can hold the king, the second and 
third round playing respectively the lo and king, so 
that ultimately the queen must drop to the ace if your 
partner has it. 

Suppose that your partner leads 8, from A-J-9-8-4, 
dummy shows Q-6-5-2, you hold K-10-7. By apply- 
ing your rule of eleven you see that the declarer has 
nothing to beat it. Consequently you **duck" by 
playing the 7. If the 9 follows and dummy refuses to 
play the queen, you overplay with the 10 and return 
the king. You are now unable to continue the suit, 
but if eldest hand can re-enter later on he can win 2 
more tricks in his suit. 

Finesse boldly when desirable to retain a card over 
something in dummy which otherwise will probably 
win a trick. Return your partner's lead unless you 
have a better suit or can absolutely see that his suit 
must be hopeless. Apply the rule of eleven to leads 
lower than a 9. 

If there is but one way to win all the tricks in a suit, 
you must assume that those conditions exist and play 
accordingly. If Q-X-X appears in dummy when 
you hold A-J-X, assume that the jack will win if 
finessed, then lead the ace and return the small card 
for partner's king to win the third trick. Do not play 
the ace to the first round to catch the hypothetical 
unguarded king. If the king is there it is probably 
guarded, and two tricks will be lost. Even if you 
catch the unguarded king you will lose just as much 

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by the queen winning a trick as if you had allowed the 
king to win. 

If partner's lead through dummy leaves the king 
there when you hold only A-Q, play the queen first, 
then lead back the ace, whether the king is guarded 
or not. It is useless to hold a singleton ace over a 
guarded king, and by holding it you cost partner three 
re-entry cards to clear his suit. By leading it back you 
enable him to clear in 2 re-entries. Moreover, your 
partner may think that the declarer has the ace and 
so never give you an opportunity to play it, except 
at yoiur own expense of a re-entry card. If you hold 
only A-Q, or A-Q with others, and king does not show 
in dimimy, always play the ace first and lead back the 
queen. 

Third-hand play for pone is less complex at trumps 
than at no trumps. On account of the liability of a 
ruff it very rarely pays to hold up a card because of 
what dummy may show. A card lower than your best 
can always be played when it is apparent from dummy's 
hand that it will be as efficacious as the best you hold 
in making declarer play high or in winning a trick. 

A low-card opening lead at tnmips calls for your 
best card except in a very unusual case, as your part- 
ner will not open low from a worthless suit if he can 
possibly avoid it. 

Deliberately forcing you to ruff when you both know 
that declarer can outruff you is a call to use your 
highest trump. This is sometimes done to force so high 
a card from declarer that partner can later win a trick 

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with a trump which may otherwise fall with yotir 
own on declarer's trump leads. 

After trumps are exhausted the play of any suit is 
precisely as at no trumps. 

Always keep your partner's opening lead in mind. 
You cannot always tell whether it is the top of a weak 
suit or is a fourth-best card. Make certain which it 
is as soon as possible, to avoid making a bad return 
lead. 

On a jack lead overplay with the ace imless both 
king and queen remain in dummy. On a queen lead 
overplay with ace unless king remains in dummy. 

Echo at trumps on a king lead if you hold ace or 
queen, or if you have only two of the smt and wish to 
ruff the third rotmd. 

At no trumps carefully follow out the instructions 
given under "Unblocking," so as not to stand in your 
partner's way. 

Aside from the obligation not to block your partner 
is the desirability to overplay or underplay on your 
partner's leads from a strong suit all high cards in his 
suit which cannot in any way assist him. It is done 
to show him where they lie and encourage him to con- 
tinue the suit. This is only done when your suit is 
the weaker. 

On an ace lead, unless it is needed to catch a guarded 
card in dimimy's hand, throw your king or other honor, 
even if not possible to block. On a king lead overplay 
with the ace unless the doubly guarded jack or lo 
appears in dimimy. 

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On the queen lead overplay with the ace or king un- 
less a card shows in dummy, which self-evidently the 
remaining card in your partner's hand cannot catch, 
but which yours can take. His remaining honors on 
a queen lead are liable to be A-J, J-io, or J-9. 

On the jack lead from A-K-J, overplay with your 
queen unless the trebly guarded 10 shows in dummy. 
If the jack wins the first trick in the latter case, your 
partner will credit you with holding the queen and 
will let you win the second trick. Even if you block 
him with your short suit it will be better than being 
blocked by dummy later on, for you will try to lead 
to your partner's re-entry, while the declarer will do 
his best to avoid doing so. Similarly, on the jack lead 
from A-J- 10 throw your king or queen, imless needed 
to keep dummy out. 

Underplaying with any useless honor on an ace or 
king lead, or with the 10 on the queen lead, is less com- 
monly observed than overplaying by even good play- 
ers, but in reality this does much to smooth a partner's 
path. 

If dummy is void of partner's suit or even very short, 
care must be exercised at no trumps in asstmiing that 
high cards of partner's suit are useless to hold. If you 
and dimimy jointly have only four of partner's suit the 
declarer may have five. While it will seldom profit 
to deliberately block partner by assimiing that other- 
wise the declarer will win a trick, it will frequently 
pay you to play your second-best card instead of your 
best one on partner's honor leads, whenever declarer 

153 



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may be long in partner's suit. When partner sees 
that dummy is very short, his next lead will be a low 
card to enable you to win the trick and retiim his 
lead. 

To properly meet emergencies it is very important 
that partner strictly follow the system of leads already 
given, especially at no trumps. This is noticeably so 
on ace leads. These should always show another 
honor (except the king) with 7 or more in suit and 
re-entry. Never use it in any other way as a blind 
lead. The king must be led instead of the ace where 
both ace and king are held, regardless of the extreme 
length of the suit. The queen is similarly led from 
A-Q-J and jack from A-J-io. That leaves the only 
combinations from which the ace can come: A-Q-io, 
A-Q, A-J, and A-io. Partner will hold a 7-card 
suit more than 7 times as frequently as an 8-card 
suit. Therefore the ace lead must always be assumed 
as showing just seven cards of a suit. Your cards 
and dummy's show the probable number held by 
declarer. Note also from your honors and dummy's 
the probable honor held by declarer. If you jointly 
hold king and jack, declarer may have either the 
queen, the 10, or none. If you can see only the king, 
you know that the declarer may hold the jack alone or 
he may have any two out of Q-J-io. If you do not see 
the king, it must lie with declarer. And so on. The 
adverse guarded king will stirely block partner's suit. 
Play your cards on the assumption that no block will 
occur beyond what you assume is held against you. 

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CORRECT AUCTION 

If you and dummy jointly hold four of the suit, the 
declarer can have only two. If dummy holds the 
guarded queen you must hold back a doubleton king. 
If dimimy holds a lower doubleton honor than the 
queen you must throw your doubleton king under the 
ace and assume that partner holds the queen. If you 
hold three to the king or queen, and dimimy holds none, 
you must play your second-best card on the ace, hoping 
for a low lead next time. 

On the lead of a high-winning card at tnmips, in 
cases not coming under the third-roimd call, play as 
low as possible if you do not want the suit continued, 
as 3 from 10-8-3. I^ yo^ ^^ want the suit continued, 
play high, if you consistently can, so that eldest hand 
can see that either you can ruff or hold the next winning 
card, as 9 from K-9-2 when partner leads the ace. 

It is not enough to bid a suit ; if your partner opens 
it with a winning card you must show by a high card 
that you desire him to again lead it, or by your lowest 
card that you prefer him to change the suit. 

Fourth-hand play for either eldest hand or pone 
requires little comment. The last play to a trick is 
usually to win it as cheaply as possible. Occasions 
frequently arise at no trumps, and seldom at trumps, 
where it pays to hold back a winning card as long as 
possible to run one opposing hand out of leads. This 
may prevent the establishment of a long adverse suit 
or it may force the declarer to use a high re-entry card. 



DECLARER'S PLAY 

To play well as declarer requires perfect familiarity 
with the play in other positions. After dimrniy is 
boarded, give a few moments' concentrated thought 
to the possibilities disclosed by your twenty-six cards. 
Note your established and establishable suits, your 
re-entry cards or where re-entry must be provided. 
Think over the bidding, and how you must lead each 
strong suit to establish it and secure discards or to 
most safely finesse. If playing at trumps, decide on 
your style of game. 

1. Exhaust adverse trumps and bring in a long side suit. 

2. Cross-ruff your long side suits. 

3. Trump adversaries' long suits and force out opposing 
tnmips by leading a powerful side suit. 

Determine what you must play for — a slam, game, 
your contract, or to minimize your loss. 

As the game progresses you must note the fall of the 
cards, where long cards lie, and who holds the various 
opposing high cards or trumps. The etiquette is 
sternly opposed to players showing by word, look, or 
mannerism, either pleasure or displeasure at any 
happening. You have every right to benefit by such 
unwarranted conduct, either by penalizing the offender, 

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CORRECT AUCTION 

utilizing disclosures in your play, or both. An old 
Spanish proverb aptly applies to our modem Auction: 

"Que hahlen cartas y 
Y callen barbas." 
(Let the cards speak, and voices be silent.) 

You have no partner to fool, so that you can make 
your play as puzzling to opponents as you choose, 
but neither by word nor by manner must you mis- 
lead either opponent. 

The way you handle your trumps is usually a good 
index to your ability as a player. It is generally best 
to lead trumps immediately, but not always. If you 
cannot well enter dummy to lead to your trump 
tenace, you can often induce an opponent to lead 
trumps (if dummy has a long and a short suit) by 
leading a very low card toward dummy's long low 
suit, as if you contemplated a cross-ruff. 

Holding an established side suit, you should try to 
exhaust tnmips before opening it. If adverse trump 
strength is too great to permit this, you can try lead- 
ing your established suit to "force" your strong 
opponent (make him trump). It often happens 
that you and an opponent each hold 5 trumps. Then 
the one securing the first force on the other will proba- 
bly gain the long trump. To prevent your weaker 
opponent from trumping you may have to lead trumps 
a few times before venturing the force. 

When dummy has an established suit and is able 
to ruff adversaries* long suits with a few low trumps, 

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and you hold very little aside from foiir trump honors 
with several low cards of dummy's suit, it is not im- 
probable that if you lead trumps an adverse long 
trump will ruff dummy's long suit and permit yotu* 
adversaries to lead their long suits unchecked. The 
best course may then be to lead dummy's long suit 
and let them ruff it, utilizing his two or three small 
trumps to ruff their long suits. This will reduce ad- 
verse tnmip strength to a point where you hold the 
long trump. You then lead tnmips and afterward 
allow dummy to continue with his long suit. The same 
plan may be workable if you have a few very high 
trump cards and a set-up suit, if dimmiy can ruff a 
long-established suit of the side players. An opponent 
will probably lead trumps as soon as you ruff him, but 
you cannot tell unless you try. 

With plenty of tnmips exhaust those opposed to 
you before trying to set up a suit. If tnmips are 
rather scarce, try to set up the suit before leading 
tnmips. A force or two will reduce adverse trump 
strength to a point where you can handle it. 

Bids in response to partner's informatory double 
sometimes find you with 4 low trumps in your hand 
and perhaps 3 trumps including an honor or two in 
dummy. You cannot lead tnmips in such cases and 
may have to depend largely upon ** throwing the 
lead," to force the winner to lead up to dummy's 
tenaces, if you hold nothing to which dimimy can 
safely lead. 

An excellent reason for not leading trumps occiirs 
158 



CORRECT AUCTION 

when the weak hand can ruff a suit of which the strong 
hand holds only small cards. Better still is the op- 
portunity to ruff with the weak hand and to discard 
from a low suit held by the strong hand. 

With abundant trumps and a strong side suit lead 
trumps at once, even if the weak hand can ruff some- 
thing else. 

The only excuse for unnecessarily ruffing from the 
strong hand is either a superabundance of trumps or 
an established cross-ruff. You can calculate upon spar- 
ing one tnmip for ruffing, without leaving the long 
trump in your adversaries* hands, if you hold 4 trumps 
in each hand, or five in one hand and two in the other, 
or with six in one hand and none in the other. With 
fewer trumps than these a force is better than a ruff. 

Even if short of tnmips it is usually better to ruff 
than to let a long suit run unchecked. Merely wait 
until you have made re-entry difficult because one ad- 
versary has no more of the other's long suit. Always 
apply the rule of eleven to fourth-best leads. 

At no trumps it is a good general rule quickly to 
lose tricks which surely must be lost, while you have 
good guards to other suits. 

If you have guards to all suits you must try to 
establish one or more of them before leading out an 
established suit. When difficult to establish a suit, 
if you hold one already established you must lead it 
first, to benefit by your opponents' discards. Ability 
to lead two established suits usually results in crush- 
ing adverse strength in a third suit. 

159 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Sometimes the opening lead is a great advantage, 
while leading to dummy's weakness, or through its 
strength constitutes another advantage. But the 
declarer's advantages more than offset them. As 
declarer you know your precise resoiurces, you can 
lead from the strength of one hand to that of the 
other as long as re-entry is possible. Offensive tactics 
of first and third hand cannot conflict, nor can the 
defensive tactics of second and fourth hands clash. 

The principal object in leading trumps is to prevent 
ruffs. Winning tricks over smaller trumps is a sec- 
ondary matter, which otherwise can wait. 

If you have 4 trumps and dimimy has 3, you have 
only I in 3 chances to hold a long trump. If you have 
only 4 trumps and dummy holds less than 3, it is quite 
useless to lead trumps. 

Holding 8 trimips, four in each hand, 6S in 89 times 
you can depend upon neither adversary holding over 3 
trumps. 

Holding 6 trumps, 5 in one hand and i in the other, 
5 in 8 times you will find the adversaries' trumps di- 
vided 4 in one hand and 3 in the other. With 5 trumps 
in one hand and none in the other you have only i in 
3 chances to hold a long tnmip. 

With 6 trumps in one hand and none in the other 
you can calculate upon having 2 long trumps 7 in 1 1 
times. 

It is good policy to draw two trumps from opponents 
to your one, when both of them have trumps and your 
partner has none. It is bad to reverse the process and 

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CORRECT AUCTION 

waste two trumps to draw one, unless you are very 
strong in trumps. Rarely waste two trumps to draw 
the remaining winning trump. Try to force it and to 
make your remaining trumps separately by ruffing. 
If you have a good suit to lead, you can utilize the 
trump in one hand to ruff a weak suit; then if you 
have re-entry, lead the other trump to draw out the 
winning trump from your adversary. 

It is better to make a helpful discard than to over- 
trump, when doing so puts a winning trump in your 
adversaries' hands. 

When you and an adversary have an equal number 
of trumps left you can lead them if they are winning 
cards and if you have an established suit. Otherwise 
your best plan is to force him to ruff, so as to give you 
the long trump. 

When left with several winning tnmips or winning 
cards of any suit and one losing card of a plain suit, 
lead out all the winning cards first. Many times your 
adversaries will discard so that yotur last card will also 
win. 

At trumps the leader of a king can often be scared 
away from leading more of your long low suit by throw- 
ing under his king yotu: highest card, as if you could 
ruff it on the next rotind. Expert players are not very 
apt to be caught by such tricks, neither are players of 
very small experience, but similar strategy can be em- 
ployed against the great majority of ordinary players 
with fair success. 

Remember not to block the run of your trump suit, 
i6i 



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ruffing or leading high enough to avoid this. A tempo- 
rary block may give an adversary a chance to niflE 
with a losing trump. 

Almost any declarer can play a winning game at no 
trumps with strong cards and both hands guarded in all 
four suits. Even fair players are, however, apt to miss 
a trick or two with such hands because they appear so 
simple. They will use high cards in adversaries' suits, 
which should be employed only for re-entry and to 
stop the run of opposing suits, to win tricks early in 
the game. Or they will run out a moderately long suit 
and leave adversaries a long card or two, when they 
might just as well establish and run out a longer suit 
to force discards. These may be full of information, 
as well as weakening to opposing hands. Skill in 
playing at no trumps consists to a great extent of 
winning tricks with small cards of a long suit and 
of forcing adversaries either to unguard high cards 
in suits where the strength is divided or to dis- 
card from their strong suits. This preventing ad- 
versaries bringing in their long suits before discards 
have weakened them is very important; so, also, is 
refusing to play a commanding card of their long suit 
until one of their hands can no longer lead that suit. 
This gives one hand against which finesses can be 
directed without fear that an established long suit 
will be led against you. At least, without costing 
adversaries a valuable re-entry card of another suit. 

The bids assist greatly in locating adverse strength 
and in determining its general character. Stops to the 

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CORRECT AUCTION 

run of your own suit must be removed, as also must 
re-entry cards of adversaries, while unblocking and in- 
suring re-entry in the weak hand must be most carefully 
observed. At tnmips, reserving a trump in the weak 
hand often provides the best possible (perhaps only 
possible) re-entry card ; so at no trumps a higher card 
of your established suit retained in the weak hand and 
a lower one in the strong hand may prove your best 
means of re-entry, after all opposing cards of that suit 
have been played. This feature is always worthy of 
consideration, instead of blindly playing out the very 
last cards of a suit. 

In reviewing the joint cards in your hand and in 
dummy you ordinarily select as the suit for your 
no-tnmip attack the one containing the greatest num- 
ber of cards. Of two suits equal in other respects 
select the one in which dummy shows the greatest 
strength, since the adversaries will more zealously 
protect their high cards in this suit than they will the 
one in which you hold concealed strength. In defend- 
ing themselves from the attack of dummy's suit they 
are apt to unguard high cards in your concealed suit 
and thus give you a chance readily to establish it after 
the first suit has been exhausted. 

Other things being equal, it is self-evident that a 
total of 8 cards divided equally between your hand 
and dummy's is less effective than the same cards di- 
vided 5 and 3, or 6 and 2, because 5 or 6 leads of a suit 
will necessitate the adversaries sacrificing more through 
discards than 4 leads will. Moreover, a total of 7 

163 



CORRECT AUCTION 

cards, divided 6 and i between your two hands, is 
better than 8 (containing the same honors) divided 
evenly, or in. the ratio of 5 to 3 between dummy and 
declarer. 

It is often better to try to establish an inferior suit 
than to continue with the first one tried when great 
strength in that suit is concentrated in the hand over 
you. 

Playing two hands gives the declarer a chance to 
save a high card in his weak hand for re-entry when 
he can as cheaply win from his own hand. With 
Q-X-X in dimimy and A-J-X-X in your own hand 
do not try to win with the queen; use either jack or 
a;ce. 

Do not risk a high card at second hand, unless you 
are strong in the suit, if you are liable to be called upon 
to overplay at fourth hand. At no trumps you must 
play the king from two at second hand if fourth hand 
has nothing; but this comes under the general heading 
of making a poorly guarded honor good when possible. 
Moreover, you are not "liable to be called upon to over- 
play at fourth hand." With J-X-X-X in dtimmy do 
not play jack on 10 led when you hold K-X-X in your 
own hand, and you must eventually win 2 tricks in the 
suit. 

If you can win two tricks in an adversary's suit, it is 
ordinarily better to wife the second and third, or the 
first and third, rather than the first two tricks. If it 
is apparent that the leader's partner will have none of 
the suit to lead back after the second round, it will 

164 



CORRECT AUCTION 

be best to win the first and second rounds, and chance 
that suit being led again. Unless declarer and dummy 
jointly hold seven you cannot be certain of that fact. 
If you hold A-Q-X and dummy holds less than 4 
small cards, it will be wise to win the first trick with 
the queen from pone on a lead from your left, then to 
hold the ace until the third round. You cannot let 
the first trick go to pone (imless he wins with the king) 
and permit him to lead through your hand up to eldest 
hand's king. Even if eldest hand will win the first 
trick, it is somewhat dangerous to let him do so if you 
have a weak suit, because he might change to that suit 
and wait for a lead to come through your tenace. If 
instead of A-Q-X you should hold A-K-X, it would 
be best to pass the first trick, with less than seven of the 
suit between you and dummy. 

Holding up a commanding card of an adversary's 
suit tmtil one player can no longer lead that suit gives 
you only one instead of two hands to fear. A general 
rule is that it will pay to hold up twice if it pays to 
hold up the first round. If an adversary holds up an 
ace too long the declarer may avoid leading that suit 
but the declarer can usually hold up a winning card 
as long as he chooses. Holding up a winning card in 
each hand, care must be taken finally to play them 
in a way to bring your own lead from the desired 
direction. 

With ace of an adversary's strong suit in one hand 
and king in the other, like A-X-X and K-X-X, after 
the first roxmd there will remain against you only five 

12 165 



CORRECT AUCTION 

of that suit. If you pass the first round and win the 
second and third rounds, the suit will probably never 
be heard from again, so that it often pays to hold up 
two stops to a strong suit instead of one. 

Weakly guarded honors, like Q-X-X, J-X-X-X, 
should be allowed to make when they can. 

Make your discards as enigmatical as possible. 
Decide where the next attack is to come and hide ex- 
treme weakness in a suit by discarding from a stronger 
one. Do not discard from the same suit in both hands 
unless that suit is so strong that you can well spare 
the cards. When one hand has a suit well guarded, 
that suit can be discarded from the other hand. In 
this way you can ordinarily guard one suit in each 
hand by allowing one hand to discard from the suit 
the other guards. With hearts being led after your 
side has no more, when 

Spades Diamonds Clubs 
declarer has left X-X-X-X A-K-X A-Q-X 

and dummy has left K-Q-X J-X-X-X X-X-X 

the declarer can discard spades while dummy discards 
clubs. 

With two entire suits against you, the lead must not 
be lost until you have won all you can. With only a 
single suit against you, an attempt must be made to 
establish your best suit. Holding a second stop to the 
opening suit entitles you to take chances not otherwise 
warranted. 

A suit with an adverse ace is much better to open 
i66 



CORRECT AUCTION 

than one having both king and queen against you. 
The ace is ahnost certain to win sometime, but by- 
postponing opening the last-named suit it is possible 
that discards may cause both king and queen to fall 
together, or one of them to fall to your ace. 

Bad suits for the declarer to open, unless they are 
very long, are those having a single honor in each hand. 
If they are ace and king, they should be saved for 
valuable re-entry; otherwise than ace and king the 
suits are too weak to open. King or queen with small 
supporting cards in one hand, and jack or lo with 
smaller ones in the other hand, are extremely bad suits 
to open. 

Long suits in one hand from which ace, king, or 
queen would naturally be led on the blind lead, with 
some support in the other hand, are always admirable 
suits to open at no trumps. The best suit, of course, 
is a long, fully established suit which insures helpful 
discards. 

Most games are won through two things — having 
the cards and not missing obvious things. Only at 
rare intervals does a brilliant coup win a game which 
otherwise would be lost. Lots of games are lost, on 
the other hand, by undue risks taken in the attempt 
to pull off a smart play, and still more are lost by 
failure to follow the fall of the cards. 

If a finesse is attempted on the first round of an un- 
hid suit which you open, it has even chances of success; 
but if deferred until the second round its chances aver- 
age better, because of information given by the cards 

167 



CORRECT AUCTION 

played on the first round; singleton stops are also 
eliminated. A little plain common sense will also help 
to direct a finesse properly. If eldest hand has shown 
considerable strength in his suit and the declarer finds 
that a finesse must be chanced in one or two other 
suits, the law of averages indicates that the pone is 
more apt to hold the missing strength in those suits 
than eldest hand. Accordingly, a finesse through the 
pone should be tried. 

Finessing is one of the most obvious methods of 
winning extra tricks and of bringing out missing 
strength. A common trait of most players is to let 
small cards of a sequence slip past their top card; but 
few can resist covering the card immediately below the 
one they hold. If you have a sequence Q-J-10-9 and 
the player on yotir left holds the guarded king, he will 
probably let the 9 or 10 slip past him and win tricks. 
He may pass the jack, but unless he is a seasoned 
player he will be almost certain to cover the queen, 
regardless of the utility of such a play. 

Play a high card to dislodge a high obstructing card, 
and play a low one if you want it to slip past a guard. 
You can often take advantage of this, for example: 
you hold A-K-X, dummy has J-X-X; with the 10 
missing you cannot afford to lead jack from dummy, 
so you lead a small card toward the jack. If eldest 
hand has the missing queen guarded, he may let your 
jack win. In any event the attempt costs nothing and 
it may possibly cause his queen to fall later to your 
ace or king. 

168 



^ CORRECT AUCTION 

There are times to risk much on a finesse and times 
to prefer a certain small loss to risking a finesse at all. 
Always consider what you have to gain by a successful 
finesse and the possible extent of your loss if the 
finesse fails. 

If you intend leading trumps, do so ordinarily before 
risking a finesse in a plain suit. If a finesse goes wrong 
it may mean a dangerous lead from the winner, a ruff 
by his partner, or, perhaps even a cross-ruff may be 
started. 

Risk a finesse to win the game if its miscarriage 
cannot "set" you badly. As winning the game means 
so much more than a lower score, it is usually best to 
risk being set one undoubled trick, or even two, if a 
successful finesse will win the game. If possible to win 
only the contract by refusing all finesses, it is better to 
accept that than to risk two finesses, which will win the 
game if both are successful but which will lose the 
contract if either fails. 

With other things equal, direct finesses against the 
stronger adversary, but do not take a finesse on the 
side from which a disadvantageous lead can come if 
you lose. Do not risk tmnecessarily losiag to an 
adversary holding a suit which you are not prepared 
to stop. 

When Contemplating a finesse you must usually 
assume that opposing length in that suit is divided 
equally between opponents. With 3 cards missing, 
asstmie them distributed 2 and i ; with 4 cards, 2 and 
2 ; with 5 cards, 3 and 2 ; and so on. If you hold a 

169 



CORRECT AUCTION 

total of 9 cards of a suit, with both ace and king in one 
hand, do not strain a point by using up valuable re-entry 
to lead toward your high cards, but go "head-on " with 
your high cards to try to catch the missing queen. 
With 7 to A-K-Q in your two hands you will win 
more tricks by trying to drop the jack by direct leads 
than by finessing. If you hold eight cards in both 
hands, and lack only the queen, you can attempt a 
finesse on the second round, if it can be arranged with- 
out seriously impairing dimimy's further efificiency. If 
it cannot be so arranged, try to drop the queen by direct 
leads of ace and king. Never sacrifice a future certain 
advantage for a present doubtful one. 

Without special reasons for other play, the following 
frequently recurring combinations should be played 
as given : 



Holding 


With these 




Unless second hand 


in 


in the 


Lead 


outplays the card 


one hand 


other hand 




given below play 


x-x-x 


A-Q-io 


X 


10 


J-ic^-X 


A-Q-X 


J 


X 


X-X-X 


A-Q-X 


X 


Q 


A-X-X 


Q-X-X 


X 


Q 


K-X-X 


A-J-X 


X 


J 


X-X-X 


A-J-X 


X 


J 


lo-X 


A-J-X-X 


lO 


X 


A-J-X 


lo-X 


X 


10 


Q-X-X 


A-J-X-X 


X 


J 


1 order to save 1 
be led.] 


;he queen for re 


-entry. If that 


is unnecessary the queen 


A-io-X-X 


K-J-X-X 


(X 

Ix 
170 


- I 



CORRECT AUCTION 

[Then reverse the process and lead a low card back to the other top card.] 

A-X-X Q-J-io-X X 10 

[If re-entry is scarce. Otherwise can lead Q up to A.l 

Q-J-X A-X-X-X Q X 

A-X-X-X J-X-X X J 

X-X-X A-X-X-X-X X X 

[Repeat this; on third round play ace, and you may hope to win three tricks 
in the suit.] 

K-X-X-X J-X-X X J 

X-X-X K-Q-X X Q 

X-X-X Q-J-io-X X lo 

Do not lead a high card to finesse it unless you hold 
its equal in the other hand. 

Sometimes a lead of a low card must be followed by 
the play of a low card, even when you hold in third 
hand the best card, in order to provide re-entry for a 
suit which you cannot depend on clearing with the 
number of winning cards it holds. Say that dummy 
has no card capable of winning a trick except in a suit 
of seven to the ace, wherein you hold three to the jack, 
with only the king, queen, and one small card against 
you. No matter how the cards lie, you must lose at 
least one trick, consequently it will be best to lead a 
small card and play a small card from dummy, regard- 
less of what second hand plays. The second time you 
are able to lead the suit the jack must be led. If the 
suit clears this round, go up with the ace; otherwise 
the ace must be reserved for the third rotmd. Similar 
tactics would be necessary with five cards, including 
an honor, out against dummy's suit of five or six cards 
to A-K. 

171 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Remember to leave re-entry in the hand where the 
long suit lies, or to so direct yoxir play as to establish 
re-entry there. Holding K-Q-X in your own hand 
with J-X-X-X, or even J-X-X, in dummy, by leading 
out the king and queen you will usually be able to 
force out the ace and make a re-entry card of the jack. 
With A-K-Q-5 in your own hand and 6-4-3-2 in 
dummy, you can probably make a re-entry card of 
his 6 by leading out the three honors to clear the suit. 

The rule to look out for re-entry is necessitated by 
the need of establishing a long suit as soon as possible, 
to lead out and break up opposing strength through 
discards, also to enable leads to be made through 
strength. To provide re-entry and not to block him- 
self the declarer must count carefully the cards of his 
long suit as they fall, unblocking, overtaking, and 
ducking as necessity may require. 

Forcing, whether in the form of making an ad- 
versary ruff your long suits at trumps, or in the form 
of making him discard from his long suit at no trumps, 
is an effective method of attacking a powerful adversary. 

Take all possible advantage of your adversaries' 
mannerisms and of their peculiarities of play to locate 
cards. Some adversaries show by their hesitation in 
deciding what to play that they hold a certain card. 
While you have no right to take the slightest advantage 
of disclosures made by your partner, you have every 
right to make use of those of adversaries. 

Leading a suit which of all others you least desire 
led will sometimes bluff an adversary and prevent his 

172 



CORRECT AUCTION 

returning the suit if its strength happens to be evenly 
divided between the defenders. 

Most players cannot resist covering a high card, 
consequently lead high to pull out high stops to your 
suit. With only three cards against you, including ace 
and king, it is possible that the lead of your queen 
will cause both the higher honors to fall at once, if 
fourth hand has only a singleton honor. 

Do your thinking (if necessary after the opening 
lead) when adversaries lead up to your strength. When 
you do not want to disclose anything you hold in a weak 
suit, play with your ordinary appearance of confidence. 
It is true that a quick movement in playing often pro- 
vokes a hasty play in return, sometimes to your ad- 
vantage, but such purposely deceptive actions closely 
approach trickery. Try to maintain the same con- 
fident air whether or not you feel so and always play 
your cards in one style. Mannerisms should neither 
be allowed to deceive opponents nor to enlighten a 
partner. 

With a weak hand you are more apt to make high 
cards good when the other side leads. The more suits 
they open up at no trumps the better it is for you. 
If they assist you in clearing a suit, it is to your 
advantage. There are occasions when it is so desirable 
to have a special suit led by a certain player that it 
pays to lead out the last losing card of another suit, if 
you know that he holds its last winning card, in the hope 
that he will open up that special suit for you. This 
may happen when you hold only short tenace suits 

173 



CORRECT AUCTION 

and need to make both cards of a tenace good to win 
your contract. You will naturally have to lose the last 
card referred to, an5rway. 

Successful **end plays** require you to *' count" 
(know the holdings of) opposing hands. Near the 
end of a no-trump hand you may have to lead when 
you hold cards like 10-8 clubs and 6-3 hearts; one 
adversary holds 9-7-6 clubs and 10 hearts, while his 
partner and dtmimy hold only spades and diamonds. 
If you lead a club you will win only one trick, while 
he will win three; but if you lead a heart he will win 
only with his 10 of hearts while you must win three 
tricks. This shows the utility of knowing just what 
is out against you, where it lies, and thinking care- 
fully before you play the few last cards. 

Desiring the other side to lead trumps, you can 
usually accomplish this by a lead from dummy's short 
suit, if he shows only a few small trumps, as if you 
intend to start ruffing. 

With two winning car4s of a suit in one hand and a 
third in the other hand, the balance of the hand will 
be better preserved by winning from the hand holding 
the two high cards, except in a case where you want 
both winning cards in the weak hand for re-entry 
purposes. 

With a single winning card in each hand, win from 
the hand less in need of re-entry cards. If there is no 
choice, win from the exposed hand to lead each adver- 
sary to believe that his partner holds the high card 
which is concealed in your own hand. 

174 



CORRECT AUCTION 

False-carding by the declarer, if well conceived, often 
misleads an adversary into leading a suit desired, or 
prevents his playing a winning card under the im- 
pression that his partner can win a trick at fourth hand. 
It is senseless to false-card in cases where nothing is 
to be gained. Habitually leading from the bottom of 
a sequence or playing its top card soon becomes known 
to all with whom you play; thus, the utility of a very 
useful bit of false-carding is gone. Vary the deception 
by sometimes leading or plajdng the middle card of 
a sequence; when nothing can possibly be gained by 
the deception, play the cards of a sequence as if you 
were a side player. 

No useful purpose comes from false-carding dummy's 
cards, except in rare cases where they are in sequence 
with your own. 

On a fourth-best lead the pone knows whether de- 
clarer can beat the card led; so in a case where you 
cannot beat it do not play low out of dummy and ex- 
pect the pone to go unnecessarily high. 

Every text-book tells you that on a queen lead you 
should win with the king, instead of false-carding with 
the ace. The lead cannot possibly be from K-Q and 
others, but it might be from A-Q-J. The leader will 
usually know that you hold the ace, but his partner 
cannot tell who holds it. In addition to this repeatedly 
cited case, there are other equally good opportunities 
to puzzle an adversary on an honor led by his partner. 

If jack is led at no trumps, it may come from a suit 
headed by A-K-J, A-J-io, K-J-io, or J-10-9. Hold- 

175 



CORRECT AUCTION 

ing ace, king, and queen in his own hand, the declarer 
can win with the queen instead of false-carding. This 
will not tell pone that the ace and king are also held, 
and he is liable to return the lead at the first oppor- 
tunity, under the impression that eldest hand has the 
ace, the king, or both. If queen lies in dummy when 
declarer holds both ace and king, the same impression 
will be given pone by winning with the queen from 
dummy. 

If declarer holds A-K-J in his own hand when the 
lo is led and overplayed by pone's queen, if he plays 
the ace, eldest hand cannot possibly tell that pone 
does not hold the king. 

To false-card with an honor quickly and to deceive 
an adversary, the declarer must have all the leads fixed 
clearly in mind. False-carding with lower cards is 
useless against ordinary players, but often very de- 
ceptive to good players. 

" Deschappelles* grand coup" consists of throwing 
away a winning card, to avoid leading when the same 
would involve the loss of one or more tricks which 
might be made were the coup player led to. Suppose 
a case where you are leading from dummy which has 
3 winning diamonds of which you hold none, dummy 
has also a top club. You hold a tnmip tenace of three 
cards over second hand and a losing club. Second 
hand holds 2 losing clubs, also the second and fotirth 
best trumps. Fourth hand holds only losing diamonds 
and clubs. You must trump the first diamond led 
from dtimmy, lead yotir singleton club, then win the 

176 



CORRECT AUCTION 

last two tricks with trumps, in order to win all 4 
tricks. If you discard your club on dummy's lead 
you will be forced to lead a trump up to second hand's 
tenace and thus lose a trick. 

The "Bath coup" consists of pla3dng low from 
A-J-X (or more) on the king lead from K-Q, to retain 
the A-J tenace over the opposing queen. 



CARD PROBABILITIES 

Whether or not you should open the bidding on any 
hand depends upon two things — the mathematical card 
probabilities and current custom. Even the latter, to 
be sound, must be based chiefly upon probabilities. 
From the probabilities and long experience have 
crystallized certain customs and sane rules of wide ap- 
plicability. As the bidding progresses your original 
deductions are more or less modified by bids made 
by other players, by failures to bid, and even by your 
knowledge of their personal traits and mannerisms. 
Your deductions are in part confirmed or modified when 
dummy is boarded. As the cards commence to fall 
tentative play based upon deductions gradually yields 
to certainties; although for some time, perhaps until 
nearly the end of the hand, you are not entirely relieved 
from the necessity of considering probabilities. Other 
things being equal the player with the greatest practi- 
cal knowledge of probabilities must excel players with 
less knowledge, both in bidding and in playing. 

Many of the probabilities given here have never 
before been published. Most of them have important 
bearing on the game, although a few facts are given 
merely because they may interest some players who 
are fond of odd bits of information. 

178 



CORRECT AUCTION 

A complete series of hands consists of every hand 
possible to deal at Auction. There can be dealt in 
such a series 635,013,559,600 hands of which no two 
will be alike. 

After your own hand is fixed the remaining players 
may hold any one of 8,122,425,444 different hands 
possible to deal out of the remaining thirty-nine cards. 

Outside the hands held by yourself and dummy 
there can be dealt from the remaining twenty-six cards 
any one of 10,400,600 different hands. 

The entire series of possible hands can be distributed 
among four players in 53»644,737i765,488,792,839,- 
237, 440 , 000 different ways. 

If a man could live sufficiently long to play an 
entire series of hands at the rate of 300 hands daily 
each day of each year, and hold no duplicate hands, 
it would require 5,797,210 years to complete his task. 
Personal experience alone is wholly inadequate to 
determine upon sound rules for bid and play. Mathe- 
matics alone might do even worse. Thorough practical 
knowledge, long experience in playing with experts at 
the game, mastery of the probabilities, careful obser- 
vation of results and sound logic are all needed to 
formulate sound rules for bidding and playing hands. 

If an entire series of all possible hands could be 
dealt and played, the dealer having to name the 
declaration without regard to whether his cards 
could win 13 tricks or o tricks, he would win on the 
average, presimiing that he derived no benefit from 
the play of the two hands, 4.96 tricks. As these 

179 



CORRECT AUCTION 

figures include a large percentage of wholly worthless 
hands, we are forced to admit that an average hand 
can win about 5 tricks at its best declaration and that 
any hand falling below that is not an attacking hand. 
In addition an attacking hand requires the ability 
to win 3 trump tricks and at no trumps to have guards 
in at least 3 suits. No-trump hands worth only 4 
tricks require at least i ace and no suit guarded by a 
combination lower than a king, or its equivalent. 
Weaker hands are frequently worth bids, but they 
are neither attacking hands nor will they average to 
yield a profit if actually played. 

In a complete series of hands each suit would have 
83,935,236,906 genuine attacking hands at a trump 
declaration, with an additional 27,289,617,676 hands 
having a choice between attacking declarations at 
tnmips or at no trumps. Many hands also give a 
choice between two equally sound tnimp declarations; 
in the table given these latter hands are counted 
only under the higher tnmip declaration. Each suit 
has 1,182,842,424 hands, giving a choice between a 
trump declaration and a one-suit no-trumper. Each 
player has 49 in 100 chances to hold an attacking hand 
worth a higher bid than i-Spade, and the latter bid 
stands only about i in 20 chances that some other 
player cannot properly overcall it. 



180 



CORRECT AUCTION 

CHANCES TO HOLD ATTACKING HANDS 



Chances in 10,000 




Chances in 100 


1,458 


No trumps, 


only 


IS 


430 


H 11 


or spades 


4 


404 


l( 11 


'' hearts 


4 


378 


(I (I 


** diamonds 


4 


353 


<< (( 


'* clubs 


3 


1,322 


spades 




13 


1,194 


Hearts 




12 


1,067 


Diamonds 




II 


940 


Clubs 




9 



10,000 100 

Total chances to bid no trumps 30 in 100. 

All probabilities assume that the cards are perfectly 
shuffled. Imperfect shuffling tends to produce dull 
games, because many times the fotir cards of tricks 
from the previous hand fall in rotation to the four 
players. This tends to shorten suits around the 
table, thus preventing spirited bidding. Thorough 
shuffling should be insisted upon by every player. 
Every player has the right to shuffle for each deal, 
the dealer having the right to shuffle last. 

13 



181 



CORRECT AUCTION 



Number of One Suit in 


Total Number of Times 


Probability of Its Hap- 


a Hand; Hearts, for 
Example 


It Will Occur m an Entire 

Series of All Possible 

Hands 


pening Approximately 
I in — 





8,122,425,444 


78 


I 


50,840,366,668 


12K 


2 


130,732,371,432 


S 


3 


181,823,183,256 


3K 


4 


151,519,319,380 


4 


S 


79.181,063,676 


8 


6 


26,393.687,892 


24 


7 


5,598,661,068 


113 


8 


740,999,259 


857 


9 


58,809,465 


10,763 


10 


2,6X3,754 


244.236 


II 


57.798 


10,986,396 


12 


507 


1,252,492,228 


13 


I 


635.013. 559.600 




635,013,559,600 





Number of One Suit in 


Total Number of Times 


Probability of Its Hap- 


a Hand, One Hand 


It Will Occur m an Entire 


pening Approximately 


Being Void of that Suit 


Series of All Possible 
Hands 


I in — 





10,400,600 


781 


I 


125,550,100 


65 


2 


602,640,480 


13 


3 


1,519,156,210 


S ^ 


4 


2,234,053,250 


3K 


S 


2,010,647,92s 


4 


6 


1,128,784,800 


7 


7 


395,074,680 


21 


8 


84,658,860 


96 


9 


10,689,250 


759 


10 


743,600 


10,917 


II 


25,350 


320,411 


12 


338 


24,030,844 


13 


I 


8,122,425,444 




8,122,425,444 





IS2 



CORRECT AUCTION 



THE CHANCES OP ANY SPECIFIED PLAYER TO HOLD ANY 
NUMBER OF DESIGNATED CARDS 



Number 

of Cards 

Designated 



Chances to Be Dealt All of Them 



Before Viewing Any Hand 



Chances 



I in 

I 
II 
II 
33 
33 
33 
I 



4 

17 

8so 

4,165 

66,640 

391,510 

2,572,780 

6,431,950 

5,145,560 

55,314-770 

774,406,780 

IS.875.338,990 

635,013.559,600 



Approx. 
I in 



4 

17 

77 

379 

2,019 

11,864 

77,963 

584,723 



When One Hand Has None 



Chances 



3 

19 

703 

6,327 

4.921 

83,657 

35.853 

47,804 

1,481,924 

2,222,886 

21,487,898 

300,830,572 

8,122,425,444 



Approx. 
I in 



3 

32 

IIS 

447 

1,901 

8,964 

47.804 

296,38s 



The table shows that any designated player, as you, 
for example, has i in 17 chances to hold the A and K 
of a specified suit, as hearts. You have 4 in 17 chances 
to hold both A and K of some one of the 4 suits, while 
the total chances of all 4 players to hold the A and K 
of some suit are 16 in 17. You have i in 379 chances 
to hold 4 aces, and the chances that some player will 
hold 4 aces are 4 in 379. If you hold no ace the 
chances that your partner, for example, will hold 4 
aces are about i in 115, while the chances that some 
one of the 3 remaining players will hold 4 aces are 
about 3 in 115. 

If neither you nor dummy holds an ace there are 
about I in II chances that either one or the other 
of the two remaining players will hold 4 aces. 

The chances that any given player, as dimimy, will 
hold either, both, or neither of two specified cards of a 

183 



CORRECT AUCTION 

given suit when they are missing from your hand are as 
follows : 

Both, 2 in 19, call this for convenience 6 in 57 

The first 13'* 57 

The second 13 * ' 57 

Neither 25 '* 57 



Total 57 in 57 

Either one or the other 26 in 57 

Either or both 32 *' 57 

In 100 well-shuffled hands you will hold on the 
average in any given suit, as hearts, the following 
numbers of that suit: 

o hearts i time 



I ' 


' 8t 


im 


2 ' 


* 20 




3 


' 28 




4 


' 25 




5 ' 


' 12 




6 ' 


' 4 




Misc. 


2 





Total 



100 



Once in 1,828 times you will on the average hold a 
*'Yarborough," with no card higher than the 9. 

While 635,013,559,600 deals would be required to 
give any particular player a complete series of all 
possible hands, only 158,753,389,900 deals would be 
necessary to give the entire series to the four players 
about a table. The following table shows, therefore, 

184 



CORRECT AUCTION 

the various holdings about a table for an entire series 
of hands. It also shows the number of each of the 
four suits which a specified player would hold in an 
entire series of hands. 

PROBABLE CARD DISTRIBUTION OF A SPECIFIED 
SUIT AMONG THE FOUR PLAYERS 

OR 

THE FOUR SUITS TO A SPECIFIED PLAYER 



4-4-3-2... 


. .. 34,213,221,900 


8-2-2-1 


305,374,212 


5-3-3-2 . . . 


••• 24,633,519,768 


8-3-1-1 .... 


186,617,574 


5-4-3-1 • • • 


. . . 20,527,933,140 


8-3-2-0 


172,262,376 


5-4-2-2 . . . 


. •• 16,795,581,660 


7-5-1-0 


172,262,376 


4-3-3-3- •• 


. .. 16,726,464,040 


6-6-1-0 .... 


114,841,584 


6-3-2-2 . . . 


• . . 8,957,643,552 


8-4-1-0 .... 


71,775,990 


6-4-2-1 . . . 


. . . 7,464,702,960 


9-2-1-1 .... 


28,275,390 


6-3-3-1 . • • 


.. 5,474,115,504 


9-3-1-^- ••• 


15,950,220 


5-5-2-1 . . . 


. . 5,038,674,498 


9-2-2-0 


13,050,180 


4-4-4-1 . . . 


. . 4,751,836,375 


7-6-0-0 .... 


8,833,968 


7-3-2-1 . . . 


.. 2,985,881,184 


8-5-0-0 


4,969,107 


6-4-3-0... 


, . 2,105,429,040 


10-2-1-0. . . . 


1,740,024 


5-4-4-0... 


. . 1,973,839,725 


9-4-0-K) 


1,533,675 


5-5-3-0... 


. .. 1,421,164,602 


lO-I-I-I .... 


628,342 


6-5-1-1 . . . 


.. 1,119,705,444 


10-3-0-0 


245,388 


6-5-2-0. . . 


. . 1,033,574,256 


II-I-I-O. . . . 


39,546 


7-2-2-2 . . . 


814,331,232 


1 1-2-0-0 .... 


18,252 


7-4-1-1 . . . 


622,058,580 


12-1-0-0. . . . 


507 


7-4-2-0... 


574,207,920 


13-0-0-0. . . . 


I 


7-3-3-0. . . 


421,085,808 














Total 


158,753,389,900 



If the first column is taken to represent the holding 
of any specific player (dealer, for example), then the 
corresponding holding of any other particular player 
(dummy, for example) will be represented one third of 
the time by each of the three remaining columns. 

18s 



CORRECT AUCTION 



The average card distributions in loo well-shuffled 
hands are: 



4-4-3-2. 
4-3-3-3 
4-4-4-1 . 

5-3-3-2 . 
5-4-3-1 . 
5-4-2-2 . 
5-5-2-1 . 
5-4-4-0. 
5-5-3-0. 



22 
.11 

3 



36 



16 

13 
II 

3 
I 
I 



45 



6-3-2-2 6 

^4-2-1 5 

6-3-3-1 3 

6-4-3-0 I 

6-5-1-1 I 

6-5-2-0 I 



17 



7-3-2-1 



Total 100 



You require more than ordinary length of suit and 
more than conventional bidding tops to rebid hand 
without waiting to hear from yotir partner, unless you 
can properly do so on your side strength. You will 
on the average have long cards over all three remaining 
players as follows: 



4 trumps give i long card about 11 in 100 times 

51 49 

5 *' ''2 '' cards " 31 '' '' '' 


6 '' 

7 " 

8 " 

9 " 


(<- tl It tl tg *^ ^ ^ '^ 

*' 4 or more long cards " 75 '' '' '" 
" 5 long cards '' 89 '' '' '' 

tt ^j a ti tl '70'^'^ '^ 


You will 


win all tricks in your suit with your partner's 


assistance 


on: 


4 trumps headed by A-K-Q about 41 in 100 times 

jj a li li it a tA" *' '* 

6 " " " A-K " 53" " " 


7 " 

8 " 


(( It A tl .- If It (i 
It tl li tl „ It tC (t 


9 " 


tt tt it It ryi '< '^ '< 



186 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Therefore you require at least the top honors given 
below to stand better than even chances of winning all 
the tricks in your suit, counting in the probabilities of 
your partner's assistance with length and missing high 
honors: 

A-K-Q-J for a 4-card suit 
A-K-Q *'a 5-card '' 
A-K *' suits of 6, 7, or 8 cards 

A ' * ' ' " 9 or more cards 

The more small cards that you hold of a suit which 
has been bid against you the smaller chances your 
partner has of stopping that suit. If you are void 
of a suit he has about 2 in 3 chances to stop a con- 
ventional attack. If you hold 2 or 3 small cards of 
that suit his chances to stop such an attack are about 
even. In both the above cases he has about 12 in 100 
less chances to stop that suit against the best possible 
studied attack. 

There are various popular misconceptions concern- 
ing the probabilities which only a careful analysis of 
facts and figures in each of such cases discloses. This 
is especially true of questions concerning the relative 
merits of attempting to drop opposing high cards and 
of finessing against them. Most players realize that 
holding 8 cards of a suit to the A-K-J, but lacking 
the Q, a finesse will win on the average more times 
than to attempt to drop the queen by means of straight 
high leads. In reality it is immaterial in 47 cases 
out of 100, while the finesse is better in 34 cases in 

187 



CORRECT AUCTION 

loo, and the high leads are preferable in only 19 
cases out of 100. Such differences are sufficiently 
marked to be apparent to any careful observer. The 
facts are not so apparent when you hold 9 cards of a 
suit in your hand and dummy and wish to catch the 
missing queen. Most players follow the facts set 
forth in the first set of probabilities given below and 
are ignorant of the facts set forth in the second set of 
probabilities shown: 

High leads are preferable 27 in 100 times. 

To finesse the first round is preferable 23 in 100 
times. 

It is immaterial 50 in 100 times. 

A finesse is preferable the second round 27 in 100 times 
High leads are preferable 23 ' ' * ' ' ' 

It is immaterial 5° *' ** ** 

While the drop will win 4 tricks more in 100 times 
than a finesse on the first round, a finesse on the second 
round will win 4 more tricks in 100 times than the 
drop and 8 more tricks than a finesse on the first 
round. The idea that the way 9 cards are divided 
between the hands of dvimmy and declarer should 
influence your action is erroneous. The principle of 
finessing as late as possible, first leading high cards 
to try to drop an opposing high card, is one that 
should be observed whenever possible. 

The next table shows the chances in 100 which 
opponents have to ruff your side suits. 

188 



CORRECT AUCTION 



Number in 


rj/ Round 


2J Round 


your suit 






I 


K 




2 


I 


9 


3 


2 


14 


4 


3 


22 


5 


5 


32 


6 


9 


45 


7 


14 


6o 



jc? Round 



50 
63 
79 
99 
100 



This table takes into consideration cases where 
both dummy and yotir partner can ruff, including 
only the cases where dimimy can outruff your partner 
or where he will force your partner to ruff so high as 
to cost, your side a later trick. 



THE 

LAWS OF AUCTION 



AS ADOPTED BY 



THE WHIST CLUB 

TOGETHER WITH THE 

ETIQUETTE OF THE GAME 

Copyright, 1920, by THE WHIST CLUB, New York. 



REPRINTED HERE BY SPECIAL PERMISSION 



PREFACE 

At a meeting of the Board of Managers of the 

Whist Club the following laws applicable to Auction 

were approved and adopted, to become effective 

September i, 1920. 

The Whist Club. 
New York, July, 1920. 



CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Preface 197 

Changes in the Laws 199 

The 1920 Laws of Auction 203 

How Played 203 

Cards 203 

Rank of Cards 203 

Rank of Suits 203 

Lead 204 

Trick 204 

Following Suit 204 

Winning the Trick 204 

Odd Tricks 205 

Trick Values 205 

Hand 205 

Game 206 

Rubber 206 

Honors 207 

Honor Values 207 

When There Is a Trump 207 

When There Is No Trump 207 

Slams 208 

Scoring 208 

Forming Tables 209 

Entry 209 

Members Leaving Table 209 

Players Leaving Table 210 

Drawing for Partners and Deal 210 

Cutting Out 211 

The Shuffle 211 

The Cut 212 

The Deal 212 

New Deal (Compulsory) 213 

New Deal (Optional) 214 

195 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 



The Declaration 214 

Bid Defined 215 

Higher Bid Defined 215 

Insufficient Bid 215 

Bid Out of Turn Defined 216 

Bid Out of Turn Penalized 217 

Double Defined 217 

Redouble Defined 218 

Improper Doubles and Redoubles 218 

Pass Defined 219 

Pass Out of Turn Defined 219 

Pass Out of Turn Penalized 219 

Illegitimate Declarations 220 

Declaring and Changing 220 

Repeated Errors 221 

Cards Exposed During Declaration 221 

Contract and Declarer 222 

The Play 223 

Dummy 223 

Dummy's Rights (Unconditional) 223 

Dummy's Rights (Conditional) 224 

Dummy Penalized 224 

Exposed Cards 225 

Calling Exposed Cards 226 

Play of Declarer and Dummy 226 

Leads Out of Turn and Cards Played in Error . 226 

Renounce 229 

Revoke Definitions 229 

Revoke Penalty 230 

Revoke Avoided 231 

Claiming and Conceding Tricks 232 

Penalties and Consultation 233 

Information 234 

New Cards 235 

The Etiquette of Auction 236 

Index to Laws 239 

196 



PREFACE 

Auction was played in the United States before any 
code of laws was drafted for the game. Some of the 
English clubs had altered the laws of Bridge to meet 
the more obvious requirements of the new game; but, 
as the laws of Bridge were merely the Whist code 
revised, the so-called laws of Auction were nothing 
more than the English laws of Whist twice altered 
with as little labor as possible to fit another game. 
This was only natural in view of the sudden transfer 
of popular allegiance, first from Whist to Bridge, and 
next from Bridge to Auction. 

When the game obtained a firm foothold in this 
country The Whist Club drafted a code which covered 
a number of subjects not mentioned in the English 
revision of the Bridge laws, but which followed its 
general form. 

After that, every year or two, The Whist Club issued 
a revision of its code. Each was a material improve- 
ment upon its predecessor, but there was so much to 
be done in the line of re-making the game that less 
attention was paid to the order and wording of the 
laws than otherwise would have been the case. 

After many experiments a system of coimt was 

14 197 



CORRECT AUCTION 

adopted in the Code of 191 5 which seemed to thoroughly 
meet the popular demand. The desire for more 
changes in the game suddenly ceased, and the mail 
of the Card Committee of The Whist Club no longer 
brought hundreds of proposed alterations. 

In January, 19 17, The Whist Club issued a code 
which did not materially alter the provisions of the 
Code of 191 5, but in which the Committee for the first 
time seriously attempted to clarify some laws whose 
wording, due possibly to repeated amendment and 
alteration, seemed obscure 

Even now there does not seem to be a desire for 
anything in the nature of drastic revision but certain 
writers, with more or less justification, have criticized 
the arrangement of the present laws and characterized 
as ambiguous the wording of some of them. The 
general public has apparently been satisfied with the 
character of the game, but has complained that the 
average player has difficulty in finding the law appli- 
cable to a case arising during the play. 

It has seemed advisable, therefore, to entirely re- 
draft the laws and prepare, for the first time, a 
code written for the game of Auction. The changes 
of substance are not many nor, with one or two excep- 
tions, of great importance, but there has been an earnest 
effort to make the wording as clear as possible and the 
arrangement such as to simplify the finding of any 
law which may be desired. This, with complete in- 
dexing, it is believed will meet the objections against 
the wording and form of the present code. 

198 



PREFACE 

CHANGES IN THE LAWS 

The change made by the Code of 1920 which will 
surely attract the most attention is the reduction of the 
revoke penalty from 100 points to 50, or from 3 tricks 
to 2, as the case may be. 

This may work unfairly in the isolated instance in 
which the revoke benefits its maker, but as in about 
ninety-nine cases out of one hundred the revoke does 
not do this, the new penalty more nearly fits the offense 
in the vast majority of cases. 

In reducing this penalty the possibility of an inten- 
tional revoke is not even contemplated; the laws do 
not provide a penalty for any form of crooked play. 
They are not drafted with the idea of defeating the 
tactics of the card sharp. The character of the game 
makes this impossible, as the bidding offers a most 
fertile field for the clever crook to give his partner 
invaluable information. * * One Spade ' ' and * * a Spade ' ' 
could be given different meanings, and other forms of 
expression could be used to convey unfair information. 

Should a player intentionally revoke or practice 
other imfair methods, ostracism will be more effective 
than any penalty the Laws could prescribe. 

The question of who wins the rubber when the side 
that wins two games has the lower score has for years 
been a subject of Auction controversy. Originally the 
winner of two games was held to be the winner in the 
rubber, no matter how many points the other side 
might be in the lead. This created the expression 

199 



CORRECT AUCTION 

** winning a losing rubber." In 191 5 this was changed, 
but the alteration met with opposition in certain 
quarters and The Whist Club in 19 17 returned to the 
old order of things. Now the folly of attempting to 
legislate an actual loss into a theoretical victory is 
realized and the original change made by The Whist 
Club being approved, it is reinstated so that once again 
the rubber winners will be the partners who come 
out ahead, regardless of which side happens to capture 
two games. 

The proposal that the penalty for a defeated con- 
tract be increased with the idea of curbing reckless 
bidding received due consideration but met with 
little favor, as free bidding is one of the most attractive 
features of the game. 

*' Contract Auction," which provides that a player 
be permitted to score in his trick score only the amount 
of his bid, the excess, if any, to be entered in his 
honor score, was considered at time of the adoption 
of the 191 7 Code. This year it was again proposed 
and was again rejected for the same reasons that 
influenced the Committee three years ago. Auction, 
as it stands, gives the expert sufficient advantage; 
*' Contract Auction" would almost legislate the poor 
bidder out of the game. Like the Nullo, it might 
make Auction more attractive for the few, but must do 
so at the expense of the many. 

The Committee in presenting the Code of 1920 
feels it should urge the Auction-playing public to 
rigidly observe all laws and enforce all penalities. 

200 



PREFACE 

It is obvious there must be penalties; to enforce 
some, and to disregard others creates misunderstand- 
ings and hard feelings. Players are all very ready to 
claim the extremely severe penalty for a revoke 
which is always a careless and in most cases a harm- 
less offense, and yet many hesitate to enforce the 
penalty allowed for looking at a trick that has been 
quitted. The latter offense gives the offender im- 
proper information by unfair means, and the penalty 
imposed for it is far from being too severe. 

The picking up and examining of cards during 
the deal, while by no means so serious an offense as 
looking at a quitted trick, is a most annoying habit 
and is apt to resvdt in exposed cards and other un- 
fortunate occurrences. 

Touching one card in dimimy and then playing 
another is an annoyance too often condoned. 

The Auction players of the country are therefore 
urged to observe the provisions of all laws, and to 
exact all penalties, it being especially desirable that 
the penalties provided in Laws 26 {d)j 53 and 61 (e) 
be rigidly enforced. 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

HOW PLAYED 

1. The game of Auction is played by four players, 
two against two playing as partners. Two partners 
constitute a side. 

CARDS 

2. Two packs ^ of cards having different backs are 
used. A correct pack contains four suits of thirteen 
cards each, one card of each denomination to a suit. 
A pack becomes imperfect when one or more cards 
are torn, soiled, or otherwise so marked that they may 
be identified from their backs. 

RANK OF CARDS 

3. In the play, ace is high, then king, queen, jack, 
ten, etc.; deuce being lowest. In drawing cards, ace 
is low, then deuce, trey, etc. ; king being highest. 

RANK OF SUITS 

4. In the declaration,^ spades are high, hearts next, 
diamonds next, and clubs lowest. In drawing cards, 

* The game may be played with one pack, legal provisions 
requiring two packs being suspended by consent. 

* In the declaration, " no trump " ranks above any suit. 

203 



CORRECT AUCTION 

as between cards of equal denomination, spades are 
low, hearts next, diamonds next, and clubs highest. 

JLEAD 

5. The player at the left of declarer leads ^ to the 
first trick 2 and thereafter the winner of each trick 
leads to the next. 

TRICK 

6. After the lead each player in his turn to the left 
plays ^ a card. A trick consists of four cards thus 
played. 

FOLLOWING SUIT 

7. A player must follow suit (i.e., must play a card 
of the suit led if he have one). When leading or when 
void of the suit led, he may play any card he holds.^ 

WINNING THE TRICK 

8. A trick is won for his side by the player who, 
(a) if the trick does not contain a trump ,^ plays the 
highest card of the suit led; or who (b) plays the highest 

* A player leads or plays by placing one of his cards face 
upward near the center of the table. 

2 The first lead of a hand, when legally made, is called the 
initial lead. 

3 To "refuse" is to fail to follow suit. To "renounce" (Law 
55) is to refuse when able to follow suit. See Law 56 for 
" revoke." 

* As a result of the bidding (Law 30), the hand may be played 
without a trump (i.e., "no trump") or with one of the foiu* 
suits as the trump. Any trump is a winner as against any 
card of a plain (non-trump) suit. 

204 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

trump, if the trick contain one or more trumps. A 
trick once turned and quitted ^ may not be looked at ^ 
until the end of the hand. 

ODD TRICKS 

9. Odd tricks are those won by declarer in excess of 
six tricks. If declarer fulfill his contract, his side 
counts the value of all odd tricks; otherwise nothing is 
coimted in the trick score. 

TRICK VALUES 

10. Odd tricks coimt in the trick score as follows* 

With Clubs trumps, each counts 6 points 
With Diamonds '' '' '' 7 '' 

With Hearts '* '' '' 8 '' 

With Spades '' '' *' 9 *' 

With No Trump *' ** 10 '' 

Doubling doubles the above values; redoubling 
multiplies them by foiir. 

HAND 

11. A hand^ begins with the cut^ and ends when 
the last card is played to the thirteenth trick. 



* Footnote to Law 56 (a) defines "quitted." 

2 Law 61 (e) prescribes penalty. 

3 "Hand" is also used to mean the cards held by a player. 
When so used the sense is obvious. Also used to designate 
players, as in "second hand," "third hand," etc. 

* See Law 25. 

205 



CORRECT AUCTION 

GAME 

12. A game is won when one side has a trick score 
of thirty (30) or more points. A game may be com- 
pleted in one hand or more; each hand is played out ^ 
whether or not during it the game be won. 

RUBBER 

13. (a) A rubber begins with drawing for partners 
(Law 22) or cutting out (Law 23) and is completed 
when one side has won two games. The side which 
has won two games adds a bonus of 250 points to its 
honor score. The side having the greater number of 
total points ^ wins the rubber.^ 

(b) When a rubber is started with the agreement 
that the play shall terminate {i.e., no new hand shall 
commence) after a specified time, and the rubber is 
unfinished at that hour, the score is made up as it 
stands, 125 being added to the honor score of the 
winners of a game. A hand if started must be played 
out. 

(c) If a rubber be started without any agreement 
as to its termination, and before its conclusion one 
player leave; or if, after such agreement, a player leave 
before the appointed hour without appointing an 
acceptable substitute (Law 21a); the opponents have 

^ All points won are counted whether or not they are needed 
to make game. 

2 See Law 17. 

3 Thus a side may win two games and still lose the rubber. 

206 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

the right to consult and decide whether the score be 
canceled or counted as in (b). 

HONORS 

14. The ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the trump 
suit are the honors unless the declaration be no trump, 
in which case the four aces are the honors. Honors 
count in the honor score of the side which received 
them in the deal. 

HONOR VALUES 

15. Honor values are based on trick values (Law 
10). They are not increased by doubling (Law 35) 
or redoubling (Law 36). 

WHEN THERE IS A TRUMP: 

3 honors^ between partners have value of 2 tricks. 

4 honors between partners have value of 4 tricks. 

4 honors held by one partner have value of 8 tricks. 

5 honors, held 3 by one and 2 by other partner, have value of 

5 tricks. 
5 honors, held 4 by one and i by other partner, have value of 

9 tricks. 
5 honors held by one partner have value of 10 tricks. 

WHEN THERE IS NO TRUMP: 

3 aces held between partners count 30 points. 

4 40 

4 ** held by one partner count 100 ** 

*" Simple honors" means 3 honors. 
207 



CORRECT AUCTION 

SLAMS 

1 6. A side winning all thirteen tricks ^ scores loo 
points for Slam.^ A side winning twelve tricks ^ 
scores 50 points for Little Slam.^ Slam points are 
added to the honor score.** 

SCX)RING 

17. Each side has a trick score, which includes only 
points won by odd tricks; and an honor score for all 
other points, including bonuses for honors, penalties, 
slams and imdertricks. 

At the end of the rubber, the total points of a side 
are obtained by adding together its trick score and 
honor score.^ Subtracting the smaller total from the 
greater, gives the net points by which the rubber is 
won and lost.^ 

A proved error in the honor score may be corrected 
at any time before the score of the rubber has been 
made up and agreed upon. 

A proved error in the trick score may be corrected 
at any time before the next declaration begins (Law 29) 
or, if the error occur in the final hand of the rubber, 
before the score has been made up and agreed upon. 

1 Without counting tricks received as penalty for a revoke. 
^ Also called Grand Slam. 

3 When declarer's contract is seven and he wins six odd he 
counts 50 for Little Slam, although his contract fail. 

* Slam or Little Slam may be scored by either side. 

* The 250 points bonus for winning two games (Law 13-a) is 
included. 

^ Law 13 (a) explains who wins a rubber. 
208 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

FORMING TABLES 

1 8. A table consists of fotir, five, or six members, 
of whom four are players. A complete table consists 
of six members. In forming a table, candidates who 
have not played rank first and in the order in which 
they entered the room. Candidates who have played 
but are not members of an existing table rank next. 
Candidates of equal standing decide priority by 
drawing ^ cards. Low wins. 

ENTRY 

19. Before the beginning of a rubber ^ a candidate 
may enter any incomplete table by announcing his 
desire to do so, and such announcements in the order 
made entitle candidates to places as vacancies occur. 
In case there are more candidates than there are 
vacancies, the provisions of Law 18 apply. 

MEMBERS LEAVING TABLE 

20. If a member leave a table, he forfeits all his 
rights at said table unless he leave to make up a 
table which cannot be formed without him and, 
when leaving, announce his intention of returning 
when his place at the new table can be filled. In 
such case, if he return, he has prior rights over any 
who have joined the table in his absence and may 

^ Method of drawing is described in Law 22. 
2 Law 13 (a) stipulates that the rubber begins when any 
player draws either for partners or cutting out. 

209 



CORRECT AUCTION 

displace one of them. When a member ^ leaves a 
table to make up a new table which cannot be formed 
without him, and does not claim the right to retain 
his membership in the old table, he shall be the last to 
draw out of the new table. 

PLAYERS LEAVING TABLES 

21. (a) A player leaving a table may, with the 
consent of the other three players, appoint a sub- 
stitute to play in his absence; such appointment 
becomes void upon return of said player or upon 
conclusion of the rubber. In any case, the substitute 
when released regains all his previous rights. 

(b) A player who withdraws from a table of four 
at the end of a rubber; or who, after availing himself 
of the privileges of paragraph (a) , fails to return before 
the end of the rubber, thus breaking up the table; 
cannot claim entry elsewhere as against the other three 
players from that table. 

DRAWING FOR PARTNERS AND DEAL 

22. A table having been formed, the members draw ^ 
cards. He who draws lowest becomes the dealer of 
the first deal and has choice of packs and seats. He 
who draws second lowest is dealer's partner and sits 

1 Should two members make up a new table, both rank ahead 
of the others. 

2 One pack is spread face downward on the table and each 
member draws one card. All draw from the same pack. 

3 A player may consult his partner before choosing. 

2IO 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

opposite him. The third lowest has choice of the two 
remaining seats; fourth lowest takes the remaining 
one. The members, if any, who draw higher than 
fourth lowest, remain members of the table but do not 
play in the current rubber. 

In all cases when drawing cards, should anyone show 
two or more cards, he must draw again. 

A player having made choice of packs or seats must 
abide by his decision. 

CUTTING OUT 

23. If at the end of a rubber a table consist of five 
or six members, the players who have played the 
greatest number of consecutive rubbers are the first 
to lose their places as players (but do not lose their 
standing as members). The draw (Law 22) decides 
between claimants of equal standing; low wins. 

THE SHUFFLE 

24. After drawing for partners, second hand ^ 
shuffles the pack which dealer has chosen (Law 22) 
and third hand ^ shuffles the still pack.^ Thereafter, 
at the beginning of each deal, third hand shuffles the 
still pack.^ After being shuffled, the still pack is placed 

1 The player on dealer's left. 

2 Third hand is dealer's partner. 

5 The "still pack" is the one not being dealt or used in the play 
of the hand. 

^ A player may not cut or shuffle for partner if either opponent 
object. 

2H 



CORRECT AUCTION 

between second and third hands, where it remains until 
the next deal. 

During the shuffle the pack must not be held below 
the table nor so that the face of any card may be 
seen. 

Dealer has the right to shuffle last, but must not 
shuffle after the cut except as in 25 (b). 

The deal must not proceed until the pack has been 
shuffled as herein provided. 

THE CUT 

25. (a) Dealer, immediately before the deal, places 
the pack before his right-hand opponent, who lifts off 
the top portion and places it beside the bottom portion, 
preferably toward dealer, who then places the bottom 
portion on top. This constitutes the cut.^ 

(b) If the cut leave fewer than four cards in the top 
or bottom portion; or if during it any card be faced 
or displaced; or there be any doubt as to where the 
pack was divided; or any player shuffle after the cut; 
there must be a new shuffle and a new cut.^ 

THE DEAL 

26. (a) The deal begins after the cut and ends when 
the last card has been placed in proper order in front 
of dealer. 

(b) After the first deal players deal in turn to the left. 



^ A player may not cut or shuffle for partner if either opponent 
object. 

212 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

A player may not deal for his partner if either opponent 
object. 

(c) Dealer gives the first card to the player on his 
left and so on until all fifty-two cards are dealt, the 
last one to dealer. 

(d) A player may not look at any of his cards diiring 
the deal. Penalty, 25 points in the adverse honor 
score. 

NEW DEAL (Compulsory) « 

27. There must be a new deal:^ 

(a) If the cards be not dealt into four distinct packets 
in accordance with Law 26 (c). 

(6) If, during the deal, any card be found faced 
in the pack or be exposed on, above, or below the 
table. 

(c) If it be discovered during the hand that more 
than thirteen cards were dealt to any player. 

(d) If, during the hand, one player hold more than 
the proper nimiber of cards and another less. 

(e) If, during the hand the pack be proved incorrect 
(Law 2). The pack is not incorrect on account of a 
missing card or cards if it or they be found in the still 
pack, among the quitted tricks, below the table, or in 
any other place which makes it possible that such card 
or cards were part of the pack during the deal. Any 
player may search anywhere for missing cards, including 

1 Always by the same dealer, and with the same pack except 
(e) when a missing card is not found. See Law 62 regarding 
new cards. 

15 213 



CORRECT AUCTION 

the still pack and the quitted tricks (face downward). 
See also Law 56 {e). 



NEW DEAL (Optional)! 

28. During tne deal any player who has not looked 
at any of his cards may demand a new deal: ^ 

(/) If the deal be out of turn. 

(g) If the pack be imperfect (Law 2). 

A new deal may be demanded by either of dealer's 
opponents ^ who has not looked at any of his cards : 

ih) If dealer omit the cut. 

{i) If dealer deal with wrong pack. 

If any player, after looking at a card, make a claim 
under this law; or if no claim be made; the deal 
stands as regular and the player to the left deals 
next. In case of a deal with the wrong pack {i), the 
next dealer may choose either pack for the remainder 
of the rubber. 

THE DECLARATION 

29. The declaration ^ begins when the deal ends 
and ends when all four players pass ^ (Law 38) their 
first opportunity to declare ^ or, after a bid (Law 30), 

1 A new deal may also be demanded under Law 37 (&) and 37 
{e) and 54 {i). 

2 By the same dealer except as in (/), and with the same pack 
except as in {g) and {i). 

3 " Opponent "is always used in the general sense ; * * Adversary * ' 
is always an opponent of declarer. 

^ Declaration also means either bid, double, pass, or redouble. 
^ The player next in turn then deals with his own pack. 
^ To declare means to bid, double, pass, or redouble. 
214 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

when three players in succession have legally passed. 
The first legal act of the declaration is a bid or pass 
by the dealer. Thereafter each player in his turn 
to the left must pass, bid if no bid has been made 
previously, make a higher bid ^ if a bid has been made 
previously, double the last bid made by an opponent, 
or redouble an opponent's double provided no bid has 
intervened. 

BID DEFINED 

30. A bid is made by specifying any number from 
one (i) to seven (7), inclusive, together with the name 
of a suit or no trump; thereby offering to contract 
that with such suit as tnmip or with no trump, the 
bidder will win at least the specified number of odd 
tricks. 

HIGHER BID DEFINED 

31. To make a *' higher bid" a player must (a) 
name a greater number ^ of odd tricks in a suit or 
no trump than the number named in the last previous 
bid, or (6) name at least an equal nimiber of odd 
tricks in a suit of higher rank (Law 4) than the suit 
named in the previous bid. 

INSUFFICIENT BID 

32. A bid following any previous bid is ** insuf- 
ficient" if it is not *' higher" according to Law 31. 

1 Law 31 defines "higher bid." 

2 Seven is the greatest number that may be named. 

215 



CORRECT AUCTION 

When an insufficient bid is made: 

(a) The insufficient bidder, 'if he do so before an 
opponent has declared or called attention to the 
insufficiency, may make the bid sufficient by changing 
the number of odd tricks named, in which case the 
declaration proceeds as if the bid had been sufficient. 

(b) When either opponent calls attention to an 
insufficient bid before it is changed, the insufficient 
bidder must make his bid sufficient by increasing the 
number ^ of odd tricks named; and if the player on 
the left of the insufficient bidder then pass, the partner 
of the insufficient bidder must pass and may not re- 
enter the declaration tmless an opponent subsequently 
bid or double. 

(c) If neither opponent call attention to the in- 
sufficiency and the player on the left of the insufficient 
bidder either bid, double, or pass, the previous in- 
sufficiency is waived. 

(d) Either opponent, after the bid has been made 
sufficient as provided in (6), may in turn make a 
higher^ bid, in which case the declaration proceeds 
as if no bid had been insufficient. 

BID OUT OF TURN DEFINED 

33. A bid is out of turn ^ (not an illegitimate bid, 
Law 41) : 

^ Not exceeding seven. 

2 I.e., Higher than the bid after it has been made sufficient. 

3 When a bid is out of turn and also insufficient (Law 32), 
either opponent may elect to apply either Law 32 (b) or Law 
34 (a). 

216 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

(a) If, before dealer declares, a bid be made by 
any other player. 

(6) If, after dealer declares^ any player bid other- 
wise than in his turn. 

BID OUT OF TURN PENALIZED 

34. After a bid out of turn: 

(a) Either opponent of the offender may cancel 
it. The proper player then proceeds with the decla- 
ration,^ the out-of-tum bid being ignored, but the 
partner of the out-of-tum bidder must thereafter 
pass whenever his turn comes.^ 

(6) When the player on the left of the out-of-tum 
bidder declares before the improper bid is canceled, 
the out-of-tum bid is thereby accepted as if made in 
turn and there is no penalty. 

(c) When the player on the right of the out-of-tum 
bidder is the proper declarer and declares ^ without 
otherwise canceling the improper bid, such act cancels 
the out-of-tum bid and (a) applies. 

DOUBLE DEFINED 

35. When, during the declaration and in proper turn, 
a player doubles, it doubles the trick value (Law 10) 
of the last previous bid. Doubling does not change 

* The "proper player" must pass if he is the partner of the 
player in error. 

2 The offending player, as he has not received improper in- 
formation, may subsequently declare in turn. 

2 When he doubles, it is a double of the last legal bid. 
217 



CORRECT AUCTION 

bidding values (Laws 4 and 31), nor the values of honors 
(Law 15), Slam, or Little Slam (Law 16). 

REDOUBLE DEFINED 

36. When, during the declaration, and in proper turn, 
a player redoubles, it doubles the double (Law 35); 
that is, it multiplies the original trick value (Law 10) 
by four. A redouble, like a double, affects only trick 
values (Law 35). 

IMPROPER DOUBLES AND REDOUBLES 

37. The penalties for improper doubles or redoubles 
follow: 

(a) A double or redouble before a bid has been made 
is void. 

(6) A double or redouble after the declaration ends: 
Law 41 (a) prescribes the penalty. 

(c) A double or redouble made when it is the turn of 
the right-hand opponent to declare is subject to the 
same penalty as a bid out of turn (Law 34-a) unless 
the partner of the offender has passed the bid involved, 
in which case the double or redouble is void and there 
is no penalty. 

(d) A double or redouble when it is partner's turn 
to declare may be accepted by the opponents, after 
consultation, as if it had been in turn; or they may 
demand a new deal; or call the bid that was doubled 
final and elect whether the double or redouble stand. 
Any of these penalties may be exacted even though the 

218 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

partner of the offender call attention to the error; but 
if the player to the left of the offender declare, he 
thereby accepts the out-of-ttim double or redouble. 

(e) A double of a double is a redouble; a redouble 
when there has been no double is a double; a redouble 
of a redouble is void and is penalized by a new deal or 
100 points in the adverse honor score. Doubling a 
partner's bid or redoubling a partner's double is 
penalized by 50 points in the adverse honor score. 
Either opponent may exact any of these penalties. 

PASS DEFINED 

38. When, during the declaration and in proper turn, 
a player passes, the turn to declare is thereby passed 
to the next player to the left. 

PASS OUT OF TURN DEFINED 

39. A pass is out of turn: 

(a) If made before dealer declares; 
(6) If made (after dealer declares) by any player 
except in turn. 

PASS OUT OF TURN PENALIZED 

40. After a pass out of turn: 

(a) If the opponent at the left of the offending player 
declare ^ before attention is called to the error, the pass 
is accepted as regular. 

1 See footnote to Law 29, which provides that a pass is a 
declaration. 

219 



CORRECT AUCTION 

(6) If an opponent call attention to the error, the 
pass is void and the player whose turn it was when the 
error was made resumes the declaration; but the 
offending player may not thereafter bid, double, or 
redouble unless the declaration he passed be overbid, 
doubled, or redoubled. 

ILLEGITIMATE DECLARATIONS 

41. (a) A bid, double, or redouble made after the 
declaration is ended is not penalized if made by de- 
clarer or his partner. But should the error be com- 
mitted by an adversary, declarer may call a lead from 
the partner of the offending player the first time it is 
the turn of said partner to lead. 

(b) When a player who has been debarred from bid- 
ding or doubling, either bids, doubles, or redoubles, 
either opponent may decide whether or not such bid, 
double, or redouble stand; and, in either case, both the 
offending player and his partner must thereafter pass. 

(c) A pass after the declaration is ended is void. 

DECLARING AND CHANGING 

42. If a player pass, bid, double, or redouble, and 
then attempt to change ^ to some other form of declara- 
tion or attempt to change the size of a sufficient bid, 

* A player who inadvertently says "No bid," meaning to say 
"No trump" or vice versa; or who inadvertently says "Spade," 
"Heart," "Diamond," or "Club," meaning to name another of 
these; may correct his mistake, provided the next player has 
not declared. "Inadvertently" refers to a slip of the tongue, 
not a change of mind. 

220 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

such attempted change may be penalized as a bid out 
of tum.^ 

REPEATED ERRORS 

43. When any player commits an error for which 
a penalty is provided in Laws 32, 34, 37, 40, 41, or 
42 at a time when an error has previously been com- 
mitted under those laws, for which the penalty has not 
already been fully paid: 

(a) If the previous error was committed by the 
other side, the penalty for it (or as much as remains 
unpaid) is canceled and the side newly in error is 
liable for the penalty provided for the new offense. 

(6) If the previous error was committed by the same 
side, the opponents, after consultation, may elect which 
error to penalize. 

CARDS EXPOSED DURING DECLARATION 

44. If, during the declaration,^ any player lead 
or expose^ a card, such card must be left face up- 
ward on the table and the partner of the player in 
error must thereafter pass whenever it is his turn to 
declare. 

If the player in error later become declarer or 
dummy, the card in question is no longer exposed; 
otherwise it remains an exposed card until played. 

1 Unless it be an attempt to change the third or fourth con- 
secutive pass which closes the declaration (Law 29). 

2 Law 29 specifies when the declaration begins and ends, 

3 Law 51 defines exposed cards. 

221 



CORRECT AUCTION 

If the player on the left of the player in error later 
become declarer he may, on the first trick, forbid a 
lead of the suit of the exposed card. ^ 

CONTRACT AND DECLARER 

45. With the completion of the declaration, the 
side which has made the highest bid assimies a con- 
tract to win at least the number of odd tricks ^ named 
in said bid; the partner of that side who first named 
the stdt or no trump specified in said bid is declarer. 

For every trick declarer falls short of his contract 
the adversaries score 50 points in their honor score 
for undertricks. All tricks won by adversaries beyond 
their "book" are undertricks. The adversaries' book 
is the ntmiber of the bid subtracted from seven. De- 
clarer's book is his first six tricks. In case of a double, 
the undertricks count 100 each; in case of redouble 
they count 200 each. 

When there is a double and declarer fulfills his 
contract, he counts in his honor score a bonus of 50 
points, and a fiirther bonus of 50 points for each 
trick, if any, that he wins beyond the number called 
for by the contract. When there is a redouble, these 
bonuses are 100 points each instead of 50.^ 



1 When two or more cards are exposed, all are subject to the 
provisions of Law 44, but the declarer may not forbid the lead 
of more than three suits. 

2 Law 9 provides that declarer whose contract fails scores 
nothing for tricks. 

3 These bonuses are in addition to the increased trick score, 
see Law 10. 

222 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

THE PLAY 

46. After the declaration, the play proceeds ac- 
cording to Law 5. Until the initial lead has been 
legally made, declarer's partner is not subject to any 
of the limitations ^ imposed upon the dummy. 

DUMMY 

47. As soon as the initial lead is legally made, 
declarer's partner places his cards face upward on 
the table and becomes dummy. ^ Declarer plays 
dimimy's cards as well as his own. Dummy takes no 
part in the play and has no rights except as provided 
in Laws 48 and 49. 

DUMMY'S RIGHTS (Unconditional) 

48. Dummy always has the right : 

(a) To call attention to the fact that too many or 
too few cards have been played to a trick ; 

(b) To call attention to the fact that the wrong 
side has gathered in a trick; 

(c) To ask declarer whether he have any of a suit 
he has refused;^ 

(d) To correct an error in the score; 

(e) To participate in the discussion of any disputed 

1 Except consultation as to the penalty provided in Law 54 (a). 
^ " Dummy " is sometimes used in the obvious sense of dummy's 
cards. 

3 "Refuse" is defined in footnote to Law 7. 
223 



CORRECT AUCTION 

question of fact after it has arisen between declarer 
and an adversary; 

(/) To correct an improper claim of either adversary; 

(g) To assist declarer as allowed by Law 54 (j). 

DUMMY'S RIGHTS (Conditional) 

49. If dummy have not intentionally looked at a 
card held by any player, he has the following additional 
rights: 

(h) To claim an adverse revoke; 

(i) To call attention to an adverse lead out of 
turn; 

(/) To call attention to a card exposed by an 
adversary; 

(k) To call declarer's attention to any right he may 
have under the laws; 

(/) To suggest playing out the hand when declarer 
would concede any of the remaining tricks (Law 

59-^). 

DUMMY PENALIZED 

50. (m) Should dummy call attention to any 
matter involving a right of declarer or a penalty 
incurred by the adversaries, said matter not being 
covered by Law 48, paragraphs (a) to (g); or should 
he, after having intentionally looked at a card held 
by any player, seek to exercise any of the rights 
mentioned in Law 49, paragraphs (h) to (/); then 
such right or penalty is canceled and may not be 
exercised or exacted. 

224 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

(n) Should dtmimy, by touching a card or otherwise, 
suggest a play by declarer; either adversary may re- 
quire declarer to make such play (if legal) or to refrain 
from making it. 

(o) Shoiild dummy warn declarer that he is about 
to lead from the wrong hand, either adversary may 
designate the hand from which declarer shall lead. 

EXPOSED CARDS 

51. The following are "exposed" cards — 

(a) Two or more cards led or played simultaneously 

(all are exposed) ; 

(6) A card dropped face upward on the table, even 

if snatched up so quickly that it cannot be named ;^ 

(c) A card dropped elsewhere than on the table if 
the partner see its face;^ 

(d) A card so held by a player that his partner sees 
any portion of its face;^ 

(e) A card mentioned by either adversary as being 
in his own or his partner's hand. 

(/) If an adversary who has legally played to the 
twelfth trick show his thirteenth card before his 
partner plays his twelfth, the partner's two cards are 
exposed ; 

(g) A card designated by any Law as "exposed." 

* If an adversary throw his cards face upward on the table they 
are exposed (except as in 59a) and Hable to be called; but if 
the other adversary retain his hand, he cannot be forced to 
expose it. 

2 The fact that an opponent sees it does not make it an exposed 
card. 

225 



CORRECT AUCTION 

CALLING EXPOSED CARDS 

52. After a card has been "exposed" as defined in 
Law 51 it must be left face upward on the table and 
declarer may "call" it (i.e., require its owner to lead 
or play it) ^ at any time when it is the owner's turn 
to lead or play, except when the playing of the "called " 
card would cause the holder to renounce. 

Declarer may call an exposed card any number of 
times until it may be legally played, but the owner 
may play it even if not called. 

PLAY OF DECLARER AND DUMMY 

53. A card from declarer's hand is not played or 
led until quitted. ^ If declarer name or touch a card in 
dummy he must play it.^ If he touch two or more 
cards simultaneously he may play either. 

Declarer and dummy are not liable to the call of 
exposed cards."* 

LEADS OUT OF TURN AND CARDS PLAYED IN 
ERROR 

54. (a) After the declaration and before a legal 
initial lead, should the partner of the proper leader 

1 Declarer and dummy are not liable (Law 53). 

2 A card is "quitted" when the player no longer touches it. 

3 Unless declarer say "I arrange," or words to that effect, or 
unless his touching the card is obviously for the purpose of 
uncovering a partly hidden one or to enable him to get at the 
card he wishes to play. 

* But see Law 54 (a). 

226 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

lead or expose a card, declarer may either call a lead ^ 
from the proper leader or treat the card ^ as exposed. 
Declarer's partner may call declarer's attention to the 
offense but, should they consult regarding the penalty, 
it is canceled. Should declarer's partner spread any 
part of his hand before declarer selects the penalty, 
declarer may not call a lead. 

(b) Should an adversary who has played a card 
which, as against declarer and dtimmy, is a winner lead 
another or several such winning cards without waiting 
for his partner to play; declarer may require said 
adversary's partner to win, if he can, the first or any 
of these tricks, after which the remaining card or cards 
thus led are exposed. 

(c) Should the adversaries lead simultaneously, the 
correct lead stands and the other is an exposed 
card. 

(d) Should declarer lead out of turn either from his 
own hand or dummy, either adversary may direct that 
the error be rectified, but declarer may not rectify it 
unless so directed. 

(e) After a lead by declarer or dummy, should 
fourth hand play before second hand; declarer may 
require second hand to play his highest or lowest card 
of the suit led, or to win or lose the trick. ^ If second 
hand have none of the suit led, declarer may call his 



1 If the player called on to lead a suit have none of it the 
penalty is paid. 

2 Or cards. 

3 Except as provided in (/). 

227 



CORRECT AUCTION 

highest of any designated suit. If second hand hold 
none of the suit called the penalty is paid. 

(/) Should declarer lead from his own or dummy's 
hand and then play from the other hand before second 
hand plays, fourth hand may play before second hand 
without penalty. 

(g) Should any player (including dtimmy) lead out 
of turn and next hand^ play without claiming the 
penalty, the lead stands as regular. 

(h) If an adversary lead out of turn, declarer may 
call a lead as soon as it is the turn of either adversary 
to lead or may treat the card so led as exposed. 

{i} If a player (not dummy) omit playing to a trick 
and then play to a subsequent trick, declarer or either 
adversary (as the case may be) may demand a new 
deal whenever the error is discovered. If no new deal 
be demanded, the siu-plus card at the end of the hand 
is considered played to the imperfect trick but does not 
constitute a revoke therein. 

(/) Whenever it is suspected that any of the quitted 
tricks contains more than four cards, any player 
(including dimmiy) may count them face downward. 
If any be found to contain a surplus card and any 
player be short, either opponent may face the trick, 
select the surplus card, and restore it to the player 
who is short; but this does not change the ownership 
of the trick. The player who was short is answerable 
for revoke as provided in Law 56 (e). 

1 Declarer accepts wrong lead if he play next either from his 
own or dummy's hand. 

228 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

RENOUNCE 

55. When a player, having one or more cards of 
the suit led, plays a card of a different suit; his act 
constitutes a renounce.^ 

REVOKE DEFINITIONS 

56. A renounce (Law 55) becomes a revoke and 
subject to penalty (Law 57): 

(a) When the trick in which it occurs is turned 
and quitted ^ by the rightful winners, except as pro- 
vided in Law 58 (c) ; 

(b) When the renouncing player or his partner, 
whether in turn or otherwise, leads or plays to the 
following trick; 

(c) When one side having claimed a revoke either 
opponent mixes the cards before the claimant has had 
reasonable opportunity to examine them. 

(d) When a player has incurred a penalty requiring 
him to play the highest or lowest of a suit, or to win 
or lose a trick, or to lead a certain suit, or to refrain 
from playing a certain suit, and fails to act as directed 
when able to do so; he incurs the revoke penalty. 

(e) If at any time a player be found to have less 
than his correct nimiber of cards, and the other three 
have their correct number; the missing card or cards, 
if found (see also Laws 27-^ and 54-/), belong to the 

1 See also "refuse," Law 7, footnote. 

2 A trick is "quitted" when it is turned and the player no 
longer touches it. 

16 229 



CORRECT AUCTION 

player ^ who is short and, iinless he be dummy, he is 
answerable for any revoke or revokes as if the missing 
card or cards had been in his hand contin^uously. 

REVOKE PENALTY 

57. The penalty for each revoke is: 

(a) When declarer revokes, he cannot score for 
tricks and his adversaries, in addition to any bonus 
for undertricks,^ add 50 points to their honor score 
for each revoke. 

(b) When either adversary revokes, declarer for the 
first revoke may either score 50 points in his honor 
score or take two tricks^ from his adversaries and 
add them to his own.'* Such tricks may assist de- 
clarer to make good his contract, but shall not en- 
entitle him to any further bonus ^ in the honor score 
by reason of the bid having been doubled or redoubled; 
nor to a Slam or Little Slam not otherwise obtained. 
For each revoke after the first, declarer adds 50 points 
to his honor score. 

(c) The value of honors as held is the only score 

* The fact that such player made no claim of irregularity at the 
time of the deal is conclusive, in the absence of evidence to the 
contrary, that the missing cards were dealt to him. 

2 The fact that declarer revokes does not permit adversaries 
to score for undertricks, provided declarer has won (even with 
the nelp of the revoke) at least the number of tricks called 
for by his contract. 

3 The value of the two tricks — undoubled, doubled, or re- 
doubled as the case may be — is counted in the trick score. 

* Dummy may advise declarer which penalty to exact. 

6 They may enable him to win a game and, if that game end 
the rubber, give him the 250 points bonus. 

230 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

that can be made by a revoking side unless both 
sides revoke; if one side revoke more than once, 
the other scores 50 for each extra revoke. 

REVOKE AVOIDED 

58. A renounce (Law 55) may be corrected, and 
the revoke (Law 57) avoided, under the following 
circumstances : 

(a) If made by dummy, the renounce may be 
corrected before the trick is turned and quitted. 
After the trick has been ttirned and quitted, whether 
by the rightful winners or otherwise, the renotmce may 
not be corrected. In neither case is there any penalty. 

(6) A renouncing player, other than dimimy, may 
not correct his error (except as in c) after the trick 
is turned and quitted nor after he or his partner has 
led or played to the following trick. If the correction 
be made in time, there i^ no revoke penalty; but the 
player in error (except as in a) may be required to 
play his highest or lowest card of the suit led. Any 
player, who played after the renounce, may withdraw 
his card and substitute another. 

(c) If, before the trick is turned and quitted, the 
partner of the renouncing player ask him whether he 
have any ^ of the suit refused, subsequent ttuning and 
quitting does not establish a revoke until the renounc- 
ing player has answered in the negative, or until he 
or his partner has led or played to the following trick, 

^ Or none. 

231 



CORRECT AUCTION 

(d) If the renouncing player be an adversary and 
the renounce be corrected in time, declarer instead of 
calling the highest or lowest may treat the card played 
in error as exposed. 

(e) The highest or lowest may not be called from 
declarer unless the adversary to his left have played 
to the trick after the renounce. 

(/) Should dummy leave the table after requesting 
protection from revokes/ declarer cannot be penalized, 
following a renounce, tmless an adversary in due time 
call the renounce to his attention. 

(g) The revoke penalty cannot be claimed after the 
next ensuing cut (Law 25); nor, if the revoke occur 
during the last hand of a rubber, after the score has been 
agreed upon; nor if there have been a draw for any 
purpose in connection with the next rubber (e.g., as 
in Law 23). 

CLAIMING AND CONCEDING TRICKS 

59. (a) If declarer say **I have the rest," or any 
words indicating the remaining tricks or any nimiber 
thereof are his; either adversary may require him to 
place his cards face upward on the table and play out 
the hand. Declarer cannot then take any finesse, not 
previously proven a winner,^ unless he announced it 

1 Sometimes called "courtesies of the table." 

2 "Proven a winner" means that the adversary who plays 
last to the trick in which the finesse is to be taken has previously 
refused that suit; the fact that a finesse in the same suit has 
previously won is not enough. 

232 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

when making his claim; nor may he call any cards 
either adversary has exposed. 

(b) If declarer concede one or more tricks, and 
either adversary accept the concession before dummy 
lawfully demands that the hand be played out (Law 
49-/), such trick or tricks belong to adversaries even 
though, had the hand been played out, declarer could 
not have lost them, 

(c) If an adversary concede a trick or tricks to de- 
clarer, and such concession be accepted before the other 
adversary objects, it is binding on both adversaries. 

PENALTIES AND CONSULTATION 

60. Laws which give "either partner," '* either op- 
ponent," etc., the right to exact a penalty do not per- 
mit consultation. 

(a) If either partner suggest or name a penalty he is 
deemed to have selected it. 

(b) If either direct the other to select a penalty, 
the latter must do so; and, if an attempt be made 
to refer the privilege back, the penalty is canceled. 

(c) If either says (in effect), ** Which of us is to 
select the penalty?" the penalty is canceled. 

(d) A proper penalty once selected may not be 
changed. 

(e) If a wrong penalty be selected,* the selection 
must be corrected upon request of either opponent. 

^ If the "penalty" selected be something not described in the 
Laws, no penalty may be exacted. 

233 



CORRECT AUCTION 

(/) If a wrong penalty be selected and paid without 
challenge, the selection may not be changed. 

(g) A reasonable time must be allowed for the selec- 
tion of a penalty, and the selection must be made 
within a reasonable time. 

(h) If, instead of exacting a penalty at the proper 
time, either opponent of the side in error play or 
declare, no penalty may be exacted. 

INFORMATION 

6i. (a) During the declaration, information must be 
given concerning its details up to that time, but, after 
it is ended, should either adversary or dummy inform 
his partner regarding any detail of the declaration 
except the contract, declarer or either adversary (as 
the case may be) may call a lead the next time it is the 
turn of the offending side to lead. At any time during 
the play, any player inquiring must be informed what 
the contract is. 

(b) Any player except dummy may, before a trick 
is turned and quitted, demand that the cards so far 
played be placed before their respective players; but 
should either adversary, in the absence of such demand, 
in any way call attention to his own card or to the 
trick, declarer may require the partner of the offender 
to play his highest or lowest card of the suit led, or to 
win or lose the trick. 

(c) Either adversary, but not dummy (Law 50-0), 
may call his partner's attention to the fact that he is 

234 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

about to play or lead out of turn; but if, during the 
play, an adversary make any unauthorized reference 
to any incident thereof, or to the location of any card, 
declarer may call the next lead when it becomes an 
adversary's tum.^ 

(d) If before or during the declaration a player 
give any imauthorized information concerning his 
hand, his partner may be barred from subsequent 
participation in the declaration. 

(e) The penalty for looking at quitted tricks (except 
where the Laws permit examination) is 25 points in the 
adverse honor score for each offense. 

NEW CARDS 

62. One new pack must be produced to replace 
an incorrect one (La,w 27-e) or an imperfect one 
(Law 28-g). Otherwise, when new cards are de- 
manded, two packs must be furnished and the op- 
ponents of the player demanding them have the 
choice, unless the demand be made at the beginning 
of a rubber, in which case dealer has the choice. 

Except under Laws 27 (e) and 28 (g), new cards 
may not be introduced during a deal. (See Law 
26-a.) 

* Any such reference by dummy may be similarly penalized 
by either adversary. 



THE ETIQUETTE OF AUCTION 

In the game of Auction slight intimations may 
convey improper information. To offend against 
etiquette is more serious than to offend against a 
law; for in the latter case the offender is subject to 
prescribed penalties; in the former his opponents are 
without redress. 

1. Declarations should be made in a simple manner, 
thus: **one heart," "one no trump," "pass," "double"; 
they should be made without emphasis. 

2. Except by his legitimate declaration, a player 
should not indicate by word, manner, or gesture the 
nature of his hand, nor his approval or disapproval of 
a play, bid, or double. 

3. If a player demand that the cards be placed, he 
should do so for his own information and not to call 
his partner's attention to any card or play. 

4. An adversary should not lead until the preceding 
trick has been turned and quitted; nor, after having 
led a winning card, should he draw another from his 
hand before his partner has played to the current 
trick. 

5. A card should not be played in such manner 
as to draw attention to it, nor should a player detach 
one card from his hand and subsequently play another. 

236 



THE ETIQUETTE OF AUCTION 

6. A player should not purposely incur a penalty 
nor should he make a second revoke to conceal a 
first. 

7. Conversation which may annoy players at the 
table or at other tables in the room should be avoided. 

8. Dummy should not leave his seat to watch his 
partner play nor call attention to the score. 

9. If declarer say, '*I have the rest," or any words 
indicating that the remaining tricks, or any number 
thereof, are his, and an adversary exposes his cards, 
declarer should not allow any information so obtained 
to influence his play. 

10. A player having been cut out of one table 
should not seek admission in another unless willing 
to cut for the privilege of entry. 



INDEX TO LAWS 

Abiding by decision, 22. 

Ace(s). 

— as honors, 14, 15. 

— high in play, 3. 

— low in drawing, 3. 
Adversary (ies), 

— 's book, 45. 

— claim or concede tricks, 59(6), 59(c). 

— correct renounce, 58(c). 

— exposes cards, 51(6), 51(f). 

*' — " is opponent of declarer, 28. 

— lead simultaneously, 54(c). 

— leads out of turn, 54(^). 

— leads several winning cards, 54(6). 

— revokes, 57(&). 
— 's undertricks, 45. 

Agreement to terminate rubber, 13(6). 
Appointing substitute, 21(a). 
Asking partner, 58(c). 
Auction, how played, I. 
Bid. 

Changing — , 42. 

"Declare" includes " — ,"29. 

Higher — defined, 31. 

— , how made, 30. 

Insufficient — . See Insufficient Bid. 

— made after declaration ends, 41(a). 

— made when imder compulsion to pass, 41(6). 
*'No — " changed to "no trump," 42. 

— out of turn. See Bid out of turn. 
Seven the highest possible — , 31. 

— ing values, 31, 35, 36. 

239 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Bid out of turn. 

— also insufficient, 33. 

— defined, 33. 

— penalized, 34, 41, 42. 

Bonus (es). 

— counted in honor score, 17. 

— for doubled and redoubled contract, 45. 

— for game, 13(6). 

— for revoke, 57. 

— for rubber, 13(a), 57(6). 
— for undertricks, 45. 

Book. 

Adversaries* — , 45. 
Declarer's — , 45. 

Breaking up a table, 2i{b). 

Calling. 

— a lead, 41(a), 5o(»), 54(a), 54(/r), 61(a), 61(c). 

— exposed cards, 44, 52, 54(6), 54(c), 54(fe), 5S{d), 59(a). 

— highest or lowest cards, 54(e), 58(&), 58{d), 58(e), 6i(&). 

Candidate (s). 

— for entry at table, 18, 19. 
Priority among — , 18, 19. 

Card(s). See also Pack. 

Adversary leads several winning — , 54(6). 
CaHing exposed — . See Calling. 
Calling highest or lowest — . See Calling. 
Choice of — . See Choice. 

— dealt into four packets, 27(a). 
Declarer plays Dummy's — , 47. 

— displaced in the cut, 25(6). 
Drawing — . See Draw(ing). 

— dropped, 5i(&), 5i(c)- 

— exposed. See Exposed Cards. 
Exposed — . See Exposed Cards. 

— faced in the cut, 25(b). 

— faced in the deal, 27(6). 

— faced in the declaration, 44. 
Four — in cut, 25(b). 

240 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

— improperly dealt, 27, 28. 
Kind of — used, 2. 
Laying down — , 47-59. 

— led or played simultaneously, 51(a), 54(c). 

— looked at during deal, 26(d). 
Marked — , 2. 

Missing — , 27(e), 54(7), 56(e). 

Mixing the — when revoke is claimed, 56(c). 

More than thirteen — held, 27(c). 

New — . See New. 

One — of each denomination to a suit, 2. 

One or two packs of — used, 2. 

Placing — , 6i(&). 

— played in error, 44, 54, 55- 

Player holds too few or too many — , 27(c), 2 7 (J), 54(7), 56 fe). 

Quitted trick contains too many or too few — , 54 (i), 54(j)« 

Rank of — in drawing, 3. 

Rank of — in play, 3. 

Soiled — , 2. 

Substituting — , 58 (Z>). 

Thirteen — to a suit, 2. 

Too many or too few — played, 48(a), 54(7). 

Tom — , 2. 

— touched by declarer, 53. 

— touched by dummy, 5o(m). 

— touched simultaneously, 53. 
Two packs of — used, 2. 

— withdrawn following renounce, 58(6). 

Changing declaration, 42. 

Choice. 

— of cards. See — of Packs. 

— of packs, 22, 62. 

— of seats, 22. 

Claiming "the rest," 59. 

Club(s). 

Rank of — , 4. 

— tricks coimt six, 10. 

Complete table, 18. 

241 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Conceding tricks, 59. 
Consultation. 

— in general, 60. 

— regarding choice of packs and seats, 22. 

— regarding improper double, 37(d). 
Contract. 

— bonus for double and redouble, 45. 

— defined, 30, 45. 
Failing to make '■ — , 45. 

Giving information regarding — , 61(a). 

— lost by revoke, 57(a). 
Odd tricks and — , 9. 
Slams and — , 16. 
Winning — , 9, 45. 

— won by revoke, 57(6). 

Correct pack. (See also Incorrect), 2, 62, 

Cut. 

Deal begins after — , 26(a). 

— described, 25. 

Hand begins with — , 11. 

Improper — , 2 5 (ft). 

Must — four cards, 25(&). 

New — , 25(6). 

No shuffle after — , 24, 25(&). 

— omitted, 28 (/t). 
Partner must not — ,25. 

Cutting for deal and partners. See Drawing. 

Cutting out. 

— at beginning of rubber, 13(a). 

— at end of rubber, 23. 
Deal. 

— after cut, 26(a). 

— after shuffling, 24. 

Cards faced or exposed in — , 27(6). 

— described, 26(c). 
Drawing for — , 22. 

Looking at cards during — , 26(<f). 
New — . See New deal. 

242 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

New cards during — , 62. 

— out of turn, 28(/). 
Partner may not — , 26(6). 
Players — in turn to left, 26(6). 
When — begins and ends, 26(a). 

— with wrong pack 28 (^). 

Dealer. 

— completes cut, 25(0). 

— deals out of turn, 28(f). 

— deals with wrong pack, 28(«) 
First — , how selected, 22. 

— 's partner may not deal, 26(6). 
— 's partner shuffles, 24. 
Same — deals, 27, 28. 

— shuffles last, 24. 

Decision, abiding by, 22. 

Declaration. (See also Declare.) 
Cards exposed during — , 44. 

— changed, 42. 

— described and defined, 29. 
First legal act of — , 29. 

Giving information regarding — , 61(a). 

Illegitimate — , 41. 

" — " includes "bid," "pass," "double," and "redouble," 

29. 

— made when imder compulsion to pass, 41(6). 
Rank of suits in — , 4. 

When — begins and ends, 29. 

Declare (s). See also Declaration. 
— ^ing and changing, 42. 

— defined, 29. 

"— " includes "bid," "pass," "double," and "redouble," 29. 

Declarer. 

"Adversary" is — 's opponent, 28. 

— and contract, 45. 

— and dummy, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 53, 59, 60. 
— *s bonus for double and redouble, 45. 

— 's book, 45. 

243 



CORRECT AUCTION 

— claims or concedes tricks, 49(/), 59. 

— condones lead out of turn, 54(g). 

— defined, 45. 

— leads out of turn, S4(d), 54(/). 

— makes contract by adverse revoke, 57(b). 

— makes contract by own revoke, 57(a). 

— may not forbid lead of more than three suit% 44. 

— not liable for exposed cards, 53. 
Only — scores for tricks, 9. 

— 's partner exposes hand, 54(a). 

— 's partner not subject to dummy's limitations, 46. 
Partner who first names suit is — , 45. 

— plays dummy's cards, 47. 

— plays out of turn, 54(^), 54(/)- 

— revokes 57(a). 

— scores slam on losing contract, 16. 

— takes two tricks or 50 points for first revoke, 57(b). 

— taking finesse, 59(a). 

— touching card, 53. 

When — counts odd tricks, 9. 

Definitions. 

Adversary, 28. Auction, i. Bid, 30. Bid out of turn, 
33. Book, 45. Contract, 30, 45. Correct pack, 2. Cut, 
25. "Cutting," 22. Cutting out, 23. Deal, 26. Dealer, 
22. Declaration, 29. Declare, 29. Declarer, 45. Double, 
35. Double out of turn, 37. Drawing, 22. Dummy, 47. 
Exposed cards, 51. Following suit, 7. Game, i, 12. Hand, 
II. Higher bid, 31. Honor score, 17. Honors, 14. Il- 
legitimate declaration, 41. Imperfect pack, 2. Insufficient 
bid, 32. Lead, 5. Member, 18. Net points, 17. No 
trump, 8. Odd tricks, 9. Opponent, 28. Partners, i. 
Pass, 38. Pass out of turn, 39. Plain suit, 8. Play, i, 5. 
Player, 18, 22. Quitted card, 53. Quitted trick, 56(a). 
Redouble, 36. Redouble out of turn, 37. Refuse, 7. Re- 
nounce, 55. Revoke, 56. Rubber, 13. Shuffle, 24. Side, 
I. Slam, 16. Still pack, 24. Table, 18. Total points, 17. 
Trick, 6. Trick score, 17. Trump, 8. Undertricks, 45. 
Winning rubber, 13. 

Deuce low in play, 3. 

244 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

Diamond (s). 

Rank of — , 4. 

— tricks count seven, 10. 

Displacing other players, 20, 21. 
Double. 

— after declaration ends, 37(6), 41(a). 

— before a bid is made, 37(a). 
Bonus for — d contract, 45, 57(6). 
Changing a — ,42. 
"Declare" includes " — ", 29. 

— defined, 35. 

— doubles trick values, 10, 57(&). 
Honor values not changed by — , 15. 

— of a — , 37(e). 

— of partner's bid, 37(e). 

— when turn of partner, 37(d). 

— when turn of right opponent, 37(c). 

— when under compulsion to pass, 41 (6). 
Draw(ing). 

All — from same pack, 22. 

— for cutting out, 23. 

— for deal, 22. 

— for entry, 18, 19. 

— for partners, 22. 
Rank of cards in — , 3. 
Rank of suits in — , 4. 

— two cards, must draw again, 22. 
Dummy. 

Declarer plays — 's cards, 47. 

— defined, 47. 

— lays down cards too soon, 54(a). 

— leaving table, 58(f). 

— 's limitations begin after initial lead, 46. 

— not liable for exposed cards, 44, 53. 

— not liable for revoke, 58(a). 

— penalized, 50. 

— 's rights (conditional), 49. 

— 's rights (unconditional), 48. 

*' — " sometimes means " — *s cards," 47. 

17 245 



CORRECT AUCTION 

— suggests "playing it out," 49(/), 59(&). 

— takes no part in play, 47. 

— touching cards, 50 (n). 
Touching cards in — , 53. 

Entry at table, 18, 19, 20, 21. 

Error. 

Cards played in — , 44, 54, 55. 

— in dealing, 27, 28. 

— in declaring, 32, 33, 37, 39, 41, 42, 43. 

— in doubling and redoubling, 37. 

— in honor score, 17. 

— in trick score, 17. 
Repeated — s, 43. 

Exposed cards. 

— after the declaration, 54. 
Calling — . See Calling. 

— cannot force renounce, 52. 

Declarer and dummy not liable for — , 53. 

— defined, 51. 

Dummy may call attention to — , 49(j)« 

— during deal, 27(&). 

— during declaration, 44. 

— may be called several times, 52. 

Eaced cards. See Cards. 

Failing. 

— to play as directed, 56 (J). 

— to return to table, 21(6). 

Finesse must not be taken, 59(a). 

First. 

— dealer, 22. 

— legal act of declaration, 29. 

— in room, 18. 

— to play, 18, 22. 

— to withdraw, 19, 20, 21, 23. 

Following suit, 7. 

Eorming tables, 18, 19. 

246 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

Game(s). 

All — points counted, 12. 

— bonus, 13(6). 

— defined, i, 12. 
— , how played, i. 
— , how won, 12. 
Thirty points to a — , 12. 
Two — win rubber, 13(a). 
— , when completed, 12. 

— won by revoke, 57(0), 57(&)- 
Giving Information, 61. 

Grand Slam. See Slam, 

Hand. 

— begins with cut, 11. 

— defined, 11. 

Each — played out, 12, I3(&). 
Laying down — . See Cards. 
One — or more to a game, 12. 
Third — shuffles, 24. 
Heart (s). 

Rank of — , 4. 

— tricks count eight, lo. 
High. 

— card in drawing and play, 3. 

— suit in declaration and drawing, 4. 
Higher bid. 

Bid, if not — , is insufficient, 32. 

— defined, 31. 

Highest or lowest. See Calling. 
Honor (s). 

— based on trick values, 15. 

— cotmt as dealt, 14. 

— count in the — score, 14. 

— described, 14. 

— not affected by double, 15, 35. 

— not affected by redouble, 15, 36. 
Only — scored by revoking side, 57(c). 

— score, 17. 

247 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Slams counted as — , i6. 
Undertricks counted as — , 45. 

— values, 15, 35, 36. 
** I arrange," 53. 
Illegitimate declarations, 41. 
Imperfect pack. 

— causes new deal, 28(g). 

— defined, 2. 
**Inadvertently" defined, 42. 
Incorrect pack. 

— causes new deal, 27(e). 

— defined. See Correct. 
Information, 61. 

Initial lead, 5. 
Insufficient bid. 

— also out of turn, 33. 
Bid after — , 32(c), 32 (^). 

— corrected by maker, 32(0). 

— corrected by opponent, 32(6). 

— defined, 32. 

— penalized, 32. 

— waived, 32(c). 

King high in drawing, 3. 

Laying down cards, 47, 59. 

Lead. 

Adversaries — , several winning cards, 54(6). 

— by partner of proper leader, 54(a). 
Calling a — . See Calling. 

— defined, 5. 

— during declaration, 44. 
Initial — , 5. 

— of several winning cards, 54(&). 

— out of turn. See Lead out of turn. 

— simultaneously, 54(c). 
Which player — s, 5. 

Lead out of turn, 44, 54. 
Leaving table, 13(c), 20, 21, 58(/). 

248 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

Little Slam. See Slam. 
Looking at cards, 26 (<f), 28, 49. 
Looking at quitted tricks, 8, 61(e). 
Losing rubber, 13(a). 

Low. 

— card in drawing and play, 3. 

— suit in declaration and drawing, 4. 

Making up tables, 18, 19. 
Marked cards, 2. 

Members. 

— draw for partners and deal, 22. 

— leaving tables, 20. 

— of table, 18, 23. 

Six — make complete table, 18. 
Missing cards, 27(e), 540*)f 56(e). 
Net points, 17. 
New. 

— cards, 27(e), 28(g), 62. 

— cut, 25(b). 

— deal. See New deal. 

— pack. See — cards. 

— shuffle, 25(6). 
New deal. 

Compulsory — , 27. 

— for cut omitted, 28(h). 

— for deal out of turn, 28(f). 

— for dealing with wrong pack, 28 (i). 

— for faced card, 27(b). 

— for illegal double or redouble, S7(d), 37(e). 

— for imperfect pack, 28(g). 

— for improper number of cards dealt, 27(c). 

— for improper number of cards held, 27(d), 

— for incorrect pack, 27(e). 

— for irregular deal, 27(a). 

— for omitting cut, 28 (^). 

— for omitting playing to trick, 54 (i). 
Optional — , 28. 

249 



CORRECT AUCTION 

No trump. 

"— " changed to "no bid," 42. 

— defined, 8. 

— honors, 15. 

Rank of — in declaration, 4. 

— tricks count ten, lo. 
Odd tricks. 

— defined, 9. 

— not counted when contract fails, 9. 
— , values, 10. 

— , when counted, 9. 

— , where scored, 10, 17. 
Opponent, 28. 

Out of turn. See Bid out of turn, Lead out of turn. 
Pack(s). (See also Card.) 

AH draw from same — , 22. 

Choice of — , 22. 

Correct — . See Correct pack. 

Cutting the — , 25. 

Imperfect — . See Imperfect pack. 

Incorrect — . See Correct pack. 

New — . See New. 

One or two — s used, 2. 

Perfect — . See Imperfect pack. 

Same — used, 27, 28. 

Still — . See Still pack. 

Wrong — dealt, 28(0. 
Partner (s). 

Consulting — , 60. 

Dealer's — shuffles, 24. 

■ — defined, i . 

Drawing for — , 22. 

— first naming suit is declarer, 45. 

— may not cut, deal, shufifle, etc., 24, 25, 26(b). 

— of proper player leads, 54(a). 
Two — constitute a side, i. 

Pass. 

"Declare" includes " — ", 29. 

— defined, 38. 

250 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

Four players — in succession, 29. 

— made after declaration ends, 41(c). 

— out of turn, 39, 40. 

Third consecutive — ends declaration, 29. 

Penalty. 

— and consultation, 60. 

— applied. See Penalty applied. 

— counted in honor score, 17. 
Reasonable time for selecting — , 60(g), 
Selecting wrong — , 60(e), 6o(/). 

Penalty applied. 

Bidding errors, 32, 34, 41, 42. 

Breaking up table, 21(6). 

Consultation, 60. 

Contract failure, 9, 45. 

Cut omitted, 28(A). 

Cutting wrong, 25(6). 

Dealing errors, 27, 28. 

Declaration errors, 32, 34, 37, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44. 

Doubling errors, 37, 41. 

Dummy penalized, 50. 

Exposed cards, 52. 

Failure to play to trick, 54 (i). 

Improper information, 61. 

Insufficient bid, 32. 

Leaving table, 13(c), 20, 21. 

Looking at card diu-ing deal, 26(d), 

Looking at quitted tricks, 61(c). 

Pass out of turn, 40, 41(c). 

Redoubling errors, 37, 41. 

Repeated errors, 43. 

Revoke, 57. 

Shuffling errors, 24. 

Wrong number of cards held, 27, 56(e). 

Perfect pack. See Imperfect, 

Placing still pack, 24. 

Plain suit, 8. 

251 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Play. 

— described, i, 5, 46. * 
Failing to — as directed, 56(d). 
Fourth hand — s before second, 54(e). 
— ^ing highest or lowest. See Calling. 
— ing out of turn, 54. 

— ing out the hand, 4.9(1), 59(b). 
— ing to a trick, 5. 

— of declarer and dummy, 53. 
Rank of cards in — , 3. 
Terminating — by agreement, is(b). 

Player (s). 

— cutting out, 13(a), 23. 

— defined, 18, 22. 
Four — in game, i. 

— leaving tables, 13(c), 20, 21. 
Priority among — , 21, 22, 23. 

Points. 

All game — counted, 12. 
Net — in rubber, 17. 
Scoring — ,17. 
Thirty — to game, 12. 
Total — in rubber, 13(a), 17, 

Priority. 

— among candidates, 18, 19. 

— among members, 20. 

— among players, 21, 22, 23. 

"Protection from revokes," 58(/). 
Quit (ted). 

" — card" defined, 53. 

Looking at — tricks, 8, 61 (e). 

Missing cards in — tricks, 27(e). 

Searching — tricks, 27(e), 54(7), 56(c). 

Too few cards in — tricks, 54 (^") • 

Too many cards in — tricks, 54(7) • 

— tricks and the revoke, 56(a), 58. 
" — tricks" defined, 56(a). 

Rank of candidates and players, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. 

252 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

Rank of cards. 

— in drawing, 3. 

— in play, 3. 

Rank of suits. 

— after double or redouble, 35, 36. 

— in declaration, 4. 

— in drawing, 4. 

Redouble. 

— accepted, 37(d). 

— after declaration ends, 37(6), 41(a). 

— before a bid, 37(a). 

Bidding values not increased by — , 36. 
Contract bonus and — , 45. 
"Declare" includes "— ", 29. 

— defined, 36. 

— doubles double, 36. 

Honors values not increased by — , 15, 36. 
Improper — s, 37. 

— multiplies trick values by four, 10, 36. 

— of — , etc., 37(e). 

— of partner's double, 37(e). 

— out of ttim, 37. 
Penalties for improper — , 37. 
Revoke and — , 57(b). 

Slam values not increased by — , 36. 
Undertricks and — , 45. 

— when tmder compulsion to pass, 41(6). 

Refuse(d). 

— defined, 7. 

Dummy calls attention when declarer has — , 48(c). 
Suit — and partner "asks," 58(c). 

Renounce. 

— becomes a revoke, 56. 

— corrected, 58. 

— defined, 7, 55. 

Dummy calls attention to — , 48(c), 49(A). 
Repeated errors, 43. 
Returning to table, 20, 21. 

253 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Revoke. 

Adversaries take penalty for — , 57(a). 
Adversary — s, 57(&). 

— avoided, 58. 
Both sides — , 57(c). 
Declarer — s, 57(a). 

— ing declarer cannot score tricks, 57(a). 

Declarer takes two tricks or 50 points for first — , 57(5). 

— defined, 56. 

Dummy and — , 48(c), 49(^), 54(7). 

— helps to win contract, 57(a), 57(6). 
Dimimy not liable for — , 58(a). . 

— on account of card short, 54(7), 56(e). 
Only honors scored by — ing side, 57(c). 

— penalty, 57. 

— penalty does not gain slam, 16, 57(&). 

— penalty not increased by doubling and redoubling, 57(b). 
"Protection from — ", 58(f). 

Renotince becomes — , 56. 
Searching tricks for — , 54(7), 56(c). 
Time limit of — , 58(g). 

— when following trick is led to, 56(b), 

— when opponents mix cards, 56(c). 

— when player fails to play as directed, 56(d), 

— when trick is quitted, 56(a). 

Room, first in, i8. 
Rubber. 

Bonus for — , 13(a), 57(6). 

Cutting out at end of — , 23. 

— defined, 13(a). 
Net points of — , 17. 

Not starting — after specified time, 13(6). 

Scoring imfimished — , 13. 

Total points of — , 13(a), 17. 

Unfinished — ,13. 

When — begins and ends, 13(0). 

— when won, 13. 

" Winning a losing — ", 1 3 (a) . 
Same dealer and pack, 27, 28. 

254 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

Scoring. 

Error in — . See Error. 

— honors, 15-17. 

— revoke, 57. 

— rubber, 13, 17. 

— slams, 16, 17. 

— tricks, 9, ID, 12, 17. 

— undertricks, 45. 

— unjSnished rubber, 13. 

Searching quitted tricks, 27(e), 54(7*) » 56(c). 
Seats, choice of, 22. 

Shuffle. 

— after the cut, 25(6). 

— before deal, 24. 
Cutting after — , 24. 
Dealer may — last, 24. 

— described, 24. 
New — , 25(6). 
Partner may not — , 24. 

Side. 

Either — scores slam, 16. 

Net points of — , 17. 

Total points of — , 13(a), 17. 

Two partners constitute a — , i. 

Which partner of — is declarer, 45. 

— wins rubber, 13(a). 

Simple honors, 15. 

Slam(s). 

— count as honors, 16, 17. 

Declarer scores — on losing contract, 16. 

— defined, 16. 

— not affected by double, 35. 

— not affected by redouble, 36. 

— not earned by revoke penalty, 16, 57(6). 

— scored by either side, 16. 
Value of — , 16, 35, 36. 

Soiled cards, 3. 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Spade (s). 

Rank of — , 4. 

— tricks count nine, 10. 

Specified time, stopping at, 13(6). 

Still pack. 

— defined, 24. 

— , how shuffled, 24. 

Missing cards found in — , 27(e). 

Stopping rubber at specified time, 13(5). 

Substitutes, 13(c). 21(a). 

Substituting cards, 58(&). 

Sufficient (bid). See Insufficient bid. 

Suit(s). 

Each — has thirteen cards, 2. 

Following — , 7. 

Four — in correct pack, 2. 

No trump regarded as — , 4. 

Only three — may be forbidden, 44. 

Plain — , 8. 

Rank of — in declaration, 4. 

Rank of — in drawing, 4. 

Rank of — not afifecting by doubling or redoubling, 35, 36. 

Table(s). 

Breaking up a — , 21(6). 

Candidates at — , 18, 19. 

Complete — ,18. 

Cutting out of — , 23. 

Entry at — , 18, 19, 20, 21. 

Leaving — , 13(c), 20, 21. 

Making up — , 18, 19. 

Returning to — , 20, 21. 

Six members make complete — , 18. 
Termination of rubber at specified time, I3(&). 
Torn cards, 2. 
Total points. 

Greatest — wins rubber, 13(0). 

— , how reckoned, 17. 

256 



THE LAWS OF AUCTION 

Touching a card, 50 (w), 53. 

Trick (s). 

Claiming and conceding — , 59. 

— defined, 6. 

— gained by revoke, 57(0), 57(b). 

Giving information regarding winner of — , 6 1 (6). 

Leading to — , 5. 

Looking at quitted — , 8, 61(e). 

— not played to, 54(i). 
Number of — in book, 45. 
Odd — . See Odd tricks. 
Omitting playing to — , 54 (i). 
Order of playing to — , 6. 
Playing to — makes revoke, 56(&). 

— quitted, 56(a). 

Quitted — containing fewer than four cards, 54(i). 
Quitted — containing more than four cards, 54(7) • 
Quitting — establishes revoke, 56(a). 

— required to be won or lost. See Win or lose trick. 

— score, 9, 10, 12, 17. 

— scored only by declarer, 9. 
Searching — , 27(e), 54(7), 56(c). 
Slams and — , 16. 
Trumping a — , 8. 

Under — . See Undertricks. 

— values, 10, 35, 36. 

When — quitted makes revoke, 56(a), 58(&). 
Who leads to — , 5. 
Winning a — ,8. 

Trump (s). 

— defined, 8. 

No — . See No trump. 

— values, 10. 

— wins trick, 8. 

Undertricks. 

— counted as honors, 17, 45. 

— defined, 45. 
Score for — , 45. 

Unfinished rubber, 13. 

257 



CORRECT AUCTION 

Vacancies at tables, 19, 20, 21. 

Values. 

Bidding — , 31, 35, 36. 
Honor — , 15, 35, 36. 

— of suits. See Rank. 
Slam •— , 16, 35, 36. 
Trick — , 10, 35, 36. 

Win or lose trick, 54(6), 54(e), 56(cZ), 61(6). 

Winning. 

— contract, 9, 45. 

— game, 12. 

" — losing rubber," 13(a). 

— rubber, 13. 

— "the choice," 22. 

— the trick, 8. 

Withdrawing from tables, 13(c), 20, 21. 

Wrong. 

— dealer deals, 28 (J). 

— pack dealt, 28(0. 

— penalty, 60(e), 6o(/). 



THE END 



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